Terra Nova - The Badlands
by Leona2016
Summary: The death of Washington hits Hera Hallows hard. Soon heading out on a treacherous mission to the Badlands, she struggles not only with her feelings of grief but also desperately tries to contain those she harbors for the colony's leader. And when Commander Taylor faces his son again, will Lucas' hatred of him finally send him over the edge? Will Mira be his ally or enemy? [repost]
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

* * *

 ** _Extended Summary:_** _Switching careers after she arrived in Terra Nova on the Seventh Pilgrimage, it takes Hera Hallows some years to get to terms with her new and challenging life in the Cretaceous. Always there to pick her up again each time she fell was Lieutenant Alicia Washington. When, during the occupation by the Sixers and the Phoenix Army, her squad leader is ruthlessly killed by Lucas Taylor, Hera is devastated and momentarily lost in a world which had become a home to her. Soon after heading out on a treacherous mission to the Badlands, Hera struggles not only with her feelings of grief but also desperately tries to contain those she harbors for the colony's leader. Will she be able to overcome all the hardships she has to face along the way? Will Terra Nova ever be home to her again? Meanwhile, Commander Nathaniel Taylor has to deal with feelings of guilt and blame for failing to protect the colony, his colony, when it was overrun by their enemies. He'll need every ounce of strength he possesses to lead the mission to the Badlands even though what they might find there, who they might find there, scares him more than anything in his life ever did. When he faces his son again, will Lucas' hatred of him finally send him over the edge? Will Mira be his ally or enemy? Will Doctor Malcolm Wallace's scientific ambitions proof too much for him to handle?_

* * *

 **PROLOGUE**

 **THE** world around her was an utter blur; a confusing whirl of colors and a cacophony of sounds hammering against the inside of her head. Reeling she attempted to plant her feet on the ground but it moved under her like the deck of a ship adrift on a restless sea. Hera swayed helplessly and fell to her knees and hands. She closed her eyes and took deep breaths now a dizzying darkness threatened to swallow her whole.

Suddenly, she felt two strong hands grabbing her arms and helping her up with an amazing strength. This time her legs held her weight. Hera clung on tight with a desperate fear to lose the sole anchor that kept her from drowning in that sea of chaos enveloping her. With an immense effort she opened her eyes, barely managing to fight the drowsiness that made her eyelids almost too heavy to lift. Blinding light flooded her vision then a familiar face was close to hers. Its lines were hazy at first but slowly it became clearer. She strained to make out the features until Hera at last recognized Lieutenant Washington's hazel brown eyes looking at her intently.

With a relief that made her heart ache Hera reveled in taking in that strong and yet caring gaze. She reached out and felt the silken touch of dark hair like rivers of ink falling across Wash's face; tangible proof that something good and real still existed in the muddled world around her. Hera blinked and swallowed hard but her voice was lost in a hoarse sound that merely grated her throat. Wash's lips were moving, her words nothing more than incoherent echoes in her ears.

Then her face was gone again. Hera tottered clumsily like a drunk and tried to shout after her in panic though nothing but dry croaks left her mouth. She swirled on her feet, slamming into a wall she hadn't seen and collapsing against it when cold water came out of nowhere and gushed like icy rain over her head. Hera sputtered, coughed raggedly and took deep intakes of breath. Gradually the world around her steadied, her surroundings stopped moving and the sounds around her were no longer deafening to her ears. Then the Lieutenant's face swam before her again and she fixed her eyes on it with all of her might. "Lieutenant- Wash.." her voice finally worked again, though it had been no more than a feeble whisper when she felt she had pushed her lungs to extremity and it should have been a loud shout.

"Easy there." came the Lieutenant's calm reply.

"W-Where are we..?" Hera stammered feebly, struggling to pronounce the words clearly.

"Save your strength-" Wash stopped midsentence and looked over her shoulder in alarm. She turned to her again with an uneasy look on her face. "We have to go. _Now_." She told her with a tone of urgency that made Hera's hair stand on end.

"W-what's going on?" she asked, her eyes wide and a sense of imminent fear returning.

"Shh. It's going to be okay." Wash comforted her and lifted her to her feet, "Here, hold on to me."

Leaning on the Lieutenant with what felt like her entire weight Hera forced her sluggish body to move. They left the gray walled and red-pillared brig through a heavily damaged steel door, making their way through a maze of hallways beyond until suddenly the building they were escaping from spit them out into a dark night veiling the usurped colony like a shadow of despair.

Barely managing to put one leg in front of the other Hera held on to Wash and trusted her to guide them to a safe place. When they finally stopped she doubled over and gasped for air. Wash pushed her further down when a search light was headed their way and Hera could feel how she bumped into someone who had waited hidden close by. Out of breath and forcing herself not to faint she looked up into Jim Shannon's worried face. Around him in the shadows the rest of his family was gathered; a silent Elizabeth desperately holding a scared Zoe close to her chest, Maddy and Josh pale but determined.

Feeling her consciousness seeping away through the crevices in her befuddled head Hera was only half aware of the hurried whispers spoken between all of them. Then there was a heavy silence that pressed against her ears. She locked eyes with Wash and felt her heart stop when, in a single clear moment, she finally understood the sad but proud look in her eyes. The next moment, she was gone. Hera tried to get up and run after her but Shannon grabbed her by the arm and pulled her with him. Wanting to stop him she buried her heels in the sand but he simply dragged her along now in her weakened state her strength was no match for his. Both her mind and body paralyzed with shock black spots started to dance in front of her eyes as they fled from shadow to shadow, crawled under the fence and at long last reached the edge of the jungle in whose embrace they were finally free from the glaring searchlights.

The moment Shannon had let go of her she collapsed and could feel hands pulling her this way and that; someone's cold knuckles gently pressing against her forehead and busy voices arguing around her. Fighting them off Hera unsteadily got to her feet and stumbled back in the direction they had come from. Despite her blurred vision she instinctively knew where to go. A single thought in her mind egging her on; she _had_ to go back. She _had_ to save her..

Without warning a harsh resounding shot rang through the air making her waver on the spot. Before her brain could grasp the meaning of that terrible sound Commander Taylor was suddenly before her, blocking the way forward with a stern and hurt look in his eyes that she didn't want to understand. Refusing to give up she struggled against his embrace and his hand covering her mouth to muffle the despairing cries that the pain in her heart forced out.

Eventually her knees buckled and Hera slid down against a rover she hadn't noticed before. She caught a fleeting glimpse of the Commander supporting her and laying her down between the tall grass waving in a wind she could no longer hear rustling nor feel it brush her skin now the same agonizingly loud shot filled her head; _again and again_. Her body shivered as the finality of it painfully tightened her throat. The last thing she saw were his tear filled eyes when she could taste the bitter saltiness of her own on her lips; then everything around her grew inevitably dark.

* * *

 **CHAPTER 1**

 **New Beginnings**

 **IT** took a while before Hera realized that she was still alive. At first, it was mostly the dull and terrible pain that numbed all other sensations that convinced her. _After all, what kind of lousy heaven would have you keep the pain_? As much as it hurt, she held one to it as it coursed through her exhausted body, allowing her to familiarize herself again with every part of it. For a while this was all she could do to keep from losing consciousness again.

After some time she felt enough strength returning to carefully open her eyes. _Big mistake_. Wherever she was, the light around her was so bright she instantly closed her eyes again and kept them tightly shut. Waiting for the afterimage and dizziness to pass she soon gave it another go. This time she opened her eyes just enough to squint through them and after they got gradually more and more used to the blinding light, the room around her slowly came into focus. There were white cotton curtains draped in front of some of the windows, fluttering lazily in a soft breeze. Forming a sharp contrast with the airy fabric were the cylinder-shaped walls that despite their dull beige color added a rather cold and clinical feel to the place. Turning to the sudden movement she'd picked up with her periphery vision Hera could just see some graphs and an intermittent string of data which flew across a large glass holoscreen fixed to a cabinet nearby.

A trickling sound made her look to her right. Next to the sterilely clean and crisp bed she was lying in stood an IV from which some clear fluid dripped steadily into her body. Following it with her eyes she found the hypodermic syringe that was fixed to her arm. With a considerable effort Hera raised herself up, letting her feet hover over the side of the bed before she trusted them to take her weight. Rather unsteadily at first, she eventually managed to stand on her own. Next was the syringe. She clenched her jaw and slightly flinched when the needle reluctantly started to give way. One last strong tug, and then she was free. Leaning on the hand railing of the bed she slowly made her way to the window on the other side. There were no curtains but blinds were down before it. With a weak wave of her hand in front of the sensor on the wall they slid up in an instant, revealing a deserted main square.

Unprepared as she was for the sight that met her eyes, the ugly scars of destruction and violence that was on it hit her like a punch in the stomach. Desperately trying to stop herself her eyes wandered over the devastated square where some abandoned or forgotten market stands lay scattered like carcasses made out of wood and torn fabric. Here and there explosions had left dark stains and most of the poles had been snapped in two. Only one still stood tall, carrying a white somewhat tattered flag with a green and blue earth on it. All of what she saw involuntarily made Hera shiver. _They had the colony back, but at what cost_..?

Thinking about those who hadn't made it made her entire body ache even more than it already did. Then, clearest of all, Wash's face and the memories of all that they had shared surfaced. Hera winced and turned away from the window, stifling a gagging sound with her hand covering her mouth. It had been on that same square she now had looked out on where Lieutenant Alicia Washington had been killed..

The sudden weight of her grief made her fall to her knees. She grabbed the cotton hospital tunic in an attempt to silence the painful throbbing of her heart. It was as if it mourned with all of its might that big gaping hole that had been left now Wash was gone. Her death, her merciless execution, played itself over and over in her head. And each time she felt just as powerless to stop it from happening.

 _Why hadn't she been able to stop it_? Hera thought guiltily, clutching her head in her hands and pressing them against her ears in a desperate attempt to shut out the string of gnawing questions that inevitably followed. She'd failed to stop that bullet from ever being fired. To stop Lucas Taylor to cold-bloodedly and cruelly end a life so much more precious than he could ever understand. And most of all, to stop herself giving up her struggle when the Commander had held her back and that final, terrible shot had ripped apart all her sense of reality. Nor could she now stop that crushing sense of failure that she had not run back in time to save her, so that the world would not be split into two; one with Wash in it, and one without her. She had let her leader down. Because of _her_ weakness she had had to abandon the person she had looked up to the most. The only one who had made her believe that she could actually become a better, stronger person, if only she tried hard enough.

Hera suddenly felt ashamed of all the trust Wash had put in her. Trust that she had repaid only by leaving her with no other choice but to sacrifice herself. To her Wash's strength and courage were unrivalled. From the moment she had stepped through that portal three years ago she had looked out for her. Taken her under her wing. She had given her a chance to proof herself. For the headstrong know-it all engineering scientist that she had been to become part of a close-knitted team; to become a soldier instead and fight for the survival of the colony, for the future of Terra Nova. In her eyes Alicia Washington had been the best of leaders. The best of friends. The closest thing to family she'd ever had in her life. And now she was gone. Hera couldn't put those two together. Not yet. It didn't make any sense. And no matter how hard reality would repeat the words in her head her heart could not, _would_ not, believe it: Wash was _dead_..

The sound of footsteps approaching startled her out of her uncontrollable sobbing. Ashamed of her moment of sorrow she pulled herself up, hastily wiping the tears off her cheeks and chin with her hospital tunic. She turned to face the window again just in time before the firm footsteps stopped abruptly at her booth. A soft but decisive and above all familiar rap on the door made her heart race even harder.

With a soft hiss the glass door slid open to let Commander Taylor in who, after softly clearing his throat, said in a tone of relief, "Good to see you're awake."

Hera merely nodded without turning around to face him. Instead, she nervously, and as inconspicuously as she could, tried to dry her face again. _Why did he have to walk in when her puffed up and red eyes would immediately let him know she had been crying_?

"How are you feeling?" he asked kindly and mercifully not seeming to notice her distress yet.

"I'm still alive.." she managed to say with a somewhat hollow voice after a few seconds. She had wanted herself to say 'I'm fine, thank you, sir' with a strong confident voice but the fact that she had succeeded in saying something was better than nothing in the end. She just hoped sooner rather than later a nurse or doctor would walk in so he would be whisked out of the booth before he would see her tear streaked face.

"That you are. Thank heavens we got you here in time…"

There was a silence in which Hera could almost feel his stern gaze against her back, effectively paralyzing her so she couldn't move a muscle.

"Don't worry about the square. We can rebuild it. We _will_ rebuild it." Commander Taylor stepped up just behind her and cast a reassuring glance through the window to the remains of the square down below. His standing so close only made her more nervous. She lowered her head so strands of her blond hair fell around her like the branches of a willow tree to hide her face. She clenched her fists at the same time, afraid she couldn't hold back her tears for much longer. Next to her the Commander leaned forward and rested his arms on the window sill, just as he would do from time to time on the balcony railing in front of his office.

"We lost many fine people. It's been a hard time for everyone. I-" he paused briefly, then a heavy sigh escaped him and he continued with a more tired voice than before, "I know you and Lieutenant Washington were close. It's tough losing someone like her, I understand. Just.. Don't let it defeat you. You're strong. You'll get through this. We all will."

Despite her sadness Hera could not help but feel and admire the conviction in his voice. Even though it was hard to belief in his words right now, it did comfort her. The Commander straightened his back and turned towards her. "You know, in times like these, there's absolutely no need to hide tears."

Hera at last managed to look up into the Commander's face. She was relieved to find that his piercingly blue eyes looked at her with a genuine concern and not the stern disapproval that she had feared.

"You just focus on getting well." he told her and offered her his arm to help her get back to the bed. Hoping he wouldn't see her blushing she accepted his assistance. Once she sat on the bed again she was glad that she had for without his support she feared her legs would have given way under her.

"I'm no doctor, but it seems your IV somehow managed to disconnect itself from your arm. Funny how that happens." the Commander remarked with a grin when he looked away so she could rearrange the blankets around herself. Hera awkwardly tried to stammer an apology but Commander Taylor held up his hand to silence her, "Not to worry. I'm not a big fan of needles myself, so I understand, trust me." he reassured her. "Now, let me get you your nurse. I'm sure she would like to check on how you're doing."

He was halfway toward the door when Hera hurriedly called him back. "Commander Taylor.. I.. Thank you. Sir." she was glad her voice sounded slightly more confident now. The Commander nodded with a friendly wink and left her to her own thoughts which were soon swallowed by a deep sleep again.

* * *

The moment she had woken up that morning seemed to coincide with the very first rays of sunlight filtering through the blinds and into her solitary booth. Feeling she'd slept enough to last a lifetime she had thrown the sheets off of her now they'd started to feel like a stifling cocoon wrapped too tightly around her. She had then carefully tested the strength of her limbs, stretching them before she'd shuffled carefully from the bed to the window and back. With something close to an aversion to sit down and remain this languid as she'd felt for what seemed an eternity, she'd repeated the process until she was reasonably sure she could trust her own body to smoothly obey her commands again.

As busy as the staff were now the medical center was filled to the brim with patients, colonists and soldiers alike, being stowed away in the cramped, secluded booth, most of the bustle didn't reach her. Whenever she had had the rare chance Hera had pestered every nurse that came to check on her to let her go. And each of them had merely smiled politely while they pretended to listen to her pleas, monitoring her bio readings with unreadable expressions on their faces and leaving her booth again shortly after. Every time the door slid back with an indifferent hiss inches from her face Hera balled her fists in increasing dejection as she turned her back on it.

As the day wore on and her frustration grew her mood had barely been lifted by a visit from her squad. Even though she felt grateful for their support, listening to their stories of how busy they were clearing out the debris and mending the devastation the colony had suffered from, made her desperate to do something more useful than staring out of windows or sleeping. If anything, she would welcome the distraction that came with it. Wash kept returning in her feverish dreams that plagued her sleep and she would wake with a start in the middle of the night, sweating and heart pounding.

After another similarly depressing day, her impatience had her attempt to escape on the pretext of finding Doctor Shannon or any other of her colleagues. But on each of those occasions one of those same nurses would gently steer her back to the biobed she no longer had any wish to return to. And so she had waited for another hour to pass followed by yet another in which she paced through her booth, looking up expectantly every time someone passed it, hoping it was Elisabeth that had come to tell her she could go.

On the morning of the third day her mood had been instantly ruined and her hope inevitably dashed when she'd opened her eyes only just in time to recognize the Commander's receding back as he left her booth, no doubt after assuming she was still fast asleep. He was gone before her voice was more than a hoarse croaking sound which grated her throat after she'd forced it out, and so was her chance of asking him, begging him even, to get her out of here. Feeling close to defeated after this, she'd simply stood in front of that horrible sight of destruction again for most of the day, one hand pressed against the glass with her fingers sprawled on it like a fleshy spider.

She had just reluctantly turned away from the window when she realized what day it was. Instantly spurred on by the urgent wish to attend the commemoration service scheduled for this afternoon, she employed all of her powers of persuasion to talk a nurse into bringing her the formal uniform from her room in the barracks. Although looking displeased for being forced to become her partner in crime the young woman returned not twenty minutes later. Ignoring the lingering stiffness of her limbs Hera quickly changed into her uniform. She was till fumbling with the last button on her collar when a familiar hiss was her only warning before Elisabeth entered wearing a bemused and yet stern expression.

Deaf to her pleading request to let her go -an undoubtedly indispensable skill in her line of work- the Doctor had her submit to an elaborate bio scan.

"Three broken ribs, more bruises than I dare to count and a severe concussion, all healed." she summed up, skimming her file on the plex pad in her hands with her brows slightly furrowed, "Of course, the real problem was the drug that they administered. Your blood tests came back largely clean but it has proved to be a very tenacious sedative. I shudder to think about the dose they must have administered.. Are you absolutely sure you feel well enough to leave?" Elisabeth asked, looking enquiringly at her.

"Yes, I do. I'm fine." Hera lied, hoping she didn't look as groggy on the outside as she still felt on the inside. 'Tenacious' was a gross understatement in her opinion. Whatever drug it had been it had made her constantly drift in and out of consciousness so that the last days of the occupation had been nothing more than a haze; momentarily waking from a deep and heavy slumber and falling back again in that vast blackness of troubled sleep. It made a hangover seem like a picnic with lots of sandwiches and no ants.

Still looking at her intently, Elisabeth squinted her eyes, tapping the back of the plexpad with her fingers, clearly not entirely convinced. Hera held her breath in tense anticipation now, as her Doctor and not just a friend, she could almost see the internal struggle going on inside her head as she decided on her fate.

Eventually she heaved a sigh of defeat, saying reluctantly, "Well, as long as you check in every day for some further blood tests-" before she could finish her sentence Hera had rushed passed her.

"For _at least_ another week!" Elisabeth called after her in a raised voice as she practically fled out of the booth and the sense of captivity it had given her.

"I will! Thanks!" Hera said over her shoulder, almost bumping into a nurse in the process. She hastily wove her way through the staff, bio beds and equipment, finally throwing open the medical center's double doors once she'd reached them.

She took a deep intake of fresh air that came wafting to her carrying the rich scent of exotic flowers and earthy smell of sand that was dark and wet because of the rain that morning. The sun peeped out behind the gray clouds now, its rays warming her face. She exhaled slowly, losing herself in the moment of ecstasy now her senses were bombarded with the sounds, smells and colors of the bustling world outside. Relishing in her newly acquired freedom she started across the square and headed straight for Command Center hoping Commander Taylor would be there.

Recalling his visit to her she desperately tried to ignore the twinge of guilt that came with it. He must have been incredibly busy but still he'd thought of looking in on her. Everyone had been busy with dealing with the aftermath of the occupation. _Everyone except her_. Taking two steps at a time in her hurry to somehow make up for having been locked up in the med-center all this time, Hera practically skipped the last one as she came out on the balcony. Gathering the required courage to apologize for her lengthy recovery she was about to knock on one of the doors when they flung inside and Commander Taylor stepped over the threshold wearing a somber expression. Seeing her it quickly morphed into a warm smile.

"Ah, Hallows." he greeted her, sounding pleasantly surprised and adding hopefully, "Doctor cleared you for active duty then?"

"Yes, sir. She did." Hera told him, wisely leaving out her promise to check in regularly for further blood tests. There was no way she was going to give him any reason to send her back there.

"Good.." the Commander nodded approvingly, staring at her intently for a moment which involuntarily made her blink and forget the apology she had come here to offer him. He took a step towards her, hand briefly resting on her shoulder and squeezing it in an affectionate kind of way, saying, "It's good to have you back."

"Thank you.. Sir.." Hera managed to mumble back, swallowing hard afterwards and not daring to meet his gaze.

"You know, I was, uh.. I was just on my way to the med-center." he told her, gesturing for her to walk with him as together they started to descend the stairs leading away from his office. "Guess I was kind of hoping you could make it to the commemoration service. You should be there.."

A tense silence followed his words now the prospect of saying their final goodbyes to those who had fallen weighed heavy on them both. Hera didn't doubt Wash's memory was first and foremost on his mind as well. He cleared his throat, continuing with some effort in a lighter tone, "In fact, I was ready to smuggle you out if necessary. But I'm glad you saved me the trouble of braving Doctor Shannon's wrath." he gave her a meaningful wink as his mouth quirked in amusement before they looked up at the sound of a rover driving towards them across the square.

"I'm guessing that's your ride." he halted, tugging at his sleeves even though he'd already banned every crease from the jacket of his formal uniform. Hera quickly averted her eyes when he noticed her closely observe the meticulous effort. His lips remained curved in a subtle smile a moment longer now she still waited at his side, hands clasped together behind her back. Flicking her a sideways glance, he remarked kindly, "All right.. Off you go, soldier."

She hastened to obey as he resumed his way to his own ride waiting for him in front of the gates. Next moment the rover had pulled up at the bottom of the stairs. Inside was her squad, all of them unusually crisp and clean looking in their deep blue formal uniforms. Rafael Hernandez was behind the wheel with Matthew Evans next to him. Sarah Miller smiled at her from the back while Amy Scott half leaned out of the cramped rear compartment and reached out for her with her arm outstretched. Hera gratefully clasped hands with Amy and let herself be pulled into the rover. With a roar it took off and headed for the gate just like a dozen others all on their way to Memorial Field.

"Glad you could make it." Matthew said, turning around in his seat.

"Hear, hear." Sarah agreed still beaming at her. Amy patted her shoulder and squeezed it in her usual sisterly way while Rafael simply nodded at her when he caught her eyes in the rear-view mirror.

"It's good to be back." Hera said when she had swallowed down the tears that had welled up inside her and looked at each of them. It was the greatest relief to her to finally be able to join the rest of her team. Though she couldn't help but feel once again how Wash wasn't there with them, when she always had been. She had been ripped out of their midst, never to return. As the rovers slowly drove on in procession away from the colony, Hera wondered what possible solace there could be now their trusted leader had gone where they couldn't follow her.

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Thanks for Reading & Please Review! :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

* * *

 **CHAPTER 2**

 **Decision**

 **SUPPRESSING** a yawn Nathaniel leaned back in his chair. He had thought leading a colony was hard work before, but judging by the mountain of reports on his desk containing various plans on rebuilding parts of the colony that had been severely damaged, he knew that even though he felt exhausted already, it was going to take considerable time to set it all right again.

There were times he still wished it had all been a terrible dream; merely a nightmare which had taken Terra Nova away from him. That he would wake up and find that Lucas had not succeeded in making the portal work both ways. That, together with the Sixers and the help of those Phoenix bandits, he hadn't taken over their colony, _his_ colony. And it hurt like hell that there hadn't been anything he could've done to stop them from invading the sanctuary that he had founded so that the human race could start over, do it right this time around. Even though he had vowed to protect this safe haven in the heart of the Cretaceous, he had ultimately failed to keep that promise. _He wasn't sure if he could ever forgive himself for that_..

The Sixers had struck a blow all right, and they had struck it hard. _No_. _Not just the Sixers_. The hardest blow had been struck by Lucas. _By his own son_.. He winced as the mere memory of his last meeting with Lucas seemed to sting his heart as if he was stabbed by him again. Unconsciously he rubbed his side although the wound had long been healed and not even a scar would remain. And yet, he could still feel the cold knife thrust into his flesh. The warm blood trickling over his hands as he had tried to stop the bleeding. And, haunting him the most, he could still see the look of madness in his son's eyes as he had tried to kill him. That look had hurt more than any knife ever could.

Growing restless with these unwelcome thoughts Nathaniel roughly pushed Lucas' face out of his mind and got out of his chair. He had been sitting still for too long. He walked around his desk and out onto the balcony overlooking the square. He could see the devastation left behind by the occupation, but above all he could see the dedication and zeal with which the colonists were doing everything in their power to rebuild it. And as they gave him hope that one day he would feel deserving of his place as the leader of the colony again, to feel that he rightly sat in that chair, he would do anything to return that favor and give them the hope they needed to start again.

Looking back over his shoulder he cast an unhappy glance at the paperwork waiting for him on his desk. He would have time to go through all of it later, he decided, and quickly descended the stairs before he could change his mind. Having been so busy since they had gotten back he hadn't had the time to take a long walk through the colony, something he now realized he had missed profoundly. Sure, all those meetings were necessary to organize and oversee the repairs and future plans for the colony, but he never felt more connected to Terra Nova than when strolling through it.

He walked at a leisurely pace and observed the people around him, one mending a home the other replacing broken paving stones while a group of children followed their teacher to the botanical garden. Nathaniel smiled to himself. It felt good seeing how everyone contributed to rebuilding the colony around him. It was enough, if only for a moment, to make him believe again that nothing could stop them from thriving no matter what hardships they faced or would face.

The far-off sounds of jubilant cheering suddenly reached his ears and made him deviate from his steady course back to his office. _Those reports could a wait a little while longer_ , he thought when he realized where the clapping and shouts came from. He walked toward the training grounds where Sergeant Reilly's squad and what had been Lieutenant Washington's squad had gathered for their annual archery contest. Nathaniel felt a surge of pride in seeing them hold on to traditions, no matter how small and despite of all that had happened. Life was going on, and everyone was finding a way to do the same. How different each of them now looked compared to yesterday during the commemoration service. Now they seemed young and free again, not grave and silent and like a sea of dark blue with the white gravestones as the rolling waves in between them as they'd stood before him at Memorial Field; a place he had both been dreading and longing to go. It was important to honor the fallen, to remind everyone of their sacrifice so they would never forget.

Nathaniel just wished he had had more of a talent of knowing what to say at those times. He had prepared a speech of course, not too long but long enough. But then, when the moment came and he had looked out over Memorial Field where every single colonist had been present he had kept his speech folded up in his pocket and instead spoken the words that had come to him from his heart. He just hoped they had done justice to the dead and comforted the living. Watching the archery contest unfold before him with a notably rising tension made him hope he had somehow succeeded in that.

"What's the score, Sergeant?" he greeted Sergeant Reilly, who had walked over to him as soon as she'd spotted him watching their contest.

"Actually, it's going pretty well, sir." she said, coming to stand next to him on the sidelines of the practice grounds, "We're eighty points in the lead, no way they're going to beat us, sir." Reilly grinned and pointed at the scoreboard under which the rest of her squad sat or stood with the same confident and victorious looks on their faces.

"It'll be our fifth victory in a row." she continued, taking off her arm guards and shooting glove.

"We won't go down without a fight, you know," a voice from behind suddenly chimed in. Scott, followed by her squad member Hernandez, joined them looking every bit as confident as Sergeant Reilly despite being behind.

"That's the spirit." Nathaniel heartily agreed with her, appreciating the sentiment.

"Last one up." Reilly said, too intent on the contest to appreciate Scott's lightheartedness. Next moment, Hera Hallows had stepped up to take her place on the archery range.

"Just don't cry once you've lost, ok?" Reilly added teasingly.

"Don't worry, ma'am, we won't. _Lose_ , I mean." Scott assured her and, after nodding in acknowledgement to their officers, led the always silent Hernandez closer to cheer on Hera whose shot would decide the outcome of the contest once and for all. Reilly smiled and looked sideways at Nathaniel as he nodded in understanding.

"They're lucky they're off duty right now." she said in jest, then quickly turned her attention back to the contest as it drew to an exciting close. Nathaniel did the same and it struck him how well recovered Hera looked. Running into her yesterday he had been immensely relieved she seemed strong enough to venture out again, though he doubted that even if she hadn't her eagerness to resume her duties would've been too strong to keep her inside much longer. He shuddered as he recalled how frail and pale she'd looked that time he had seen her in her private booth at the med-center.

An inexplicably strong relief had washed over him that day when he saw she had finally woken up. He been checking in on her every morning up to then before his predawn patrol but she'd always been wrapped up in a deep, feverish sleep that had her stir restlessly and crease her forehead as if troubled by the dreams visiting her. It had been the same in their camp in the jungle those last days before the end of the occupation. Elisabeth had said it'd been a terribly close call what with that persistent drug they'd used on her. It made his blood boil to think what they done to her and the others that he had failed in protecting. The more of a relief it had been that she would not be lost to the colony. It had been a life saved, thereby making it precious to him beyond reckoning.

He still remembered her stepping through the portal, wondering why the scientists they send him all looked so smug and, quite frankly, helplessly unsuited for the tough life in the wilderness that Terra Nova was most of the time. But looks could definitely be deceiving. What was more, Hera Hallows had proved to be somewhat of a dark horse. Just as Lieutenant Washington had predicted. Despite his initial misgivings he was glad that he had listened to her advice to allow Hera to be trained as a soldier in Washington's squad. He hadn't thought it possible but she was now as vital a member of his security forces as any other soldier, most of whom he had served alongside with for much longer. It had taken him a while but looking at her now, standing as still as one of those beautiful ancient Greek statues with her bow and arrow aimed and ready, he no longer saw that young and inexperienced scientist who'd seemed to have accidentally put on a uniform.

Instead he saw again that almost unnatural, purposeful focus in the way she didn't allow herself to be distracted by her surroundings, all thoughts bend on the target further ahead. It strongly reminded him of the same unearthly calmness he'd perceived in her when she'd instantly accepted the news of her parents' death, not two years ago. Both of them had died in a car crash but word of it hadn't reached them until a wizened looking doctor on the second pilgrimage after the one she had been on had delivered the message. The fatal accident had, apparently, happened a good ten months before but the reason it had taken them so long to finally get the message through two pilgrimages later was the fact that no one had had an inkling that Hera Hallows had traveled through the portal, not even her parents had seemed to know. The fact that she had just lost both of them hadn't sparked any emotion at the time, nor had the knowledge that they had left her with a considerable fortune which she insisted on donating anonymously to the colony without so much as a blink. Judging by his own warped relationship with his son, though, he was sure she had had her reasons to not feel the loss more keenly. How different from her true grief for Lieutenant Washington. _Maybe Terra Nova really did change people.. And changed them for the better_..

"I don't believe it!" Reilly's sudden indignant shout of disappointment shook him out of his musings. Having been lost in his thoughts he'd realized seconds too late how the arrow had found its mark; had, in fact, split Reilly's arrow in two as it had been stuck prominently in the bull's-eye. _Wow._ _That had been one hell of a shot._. Scott was beside herself with joy while Miller and Evans were busy with a victory dance around Hallows which mainly consisted of lots of yelling and high fives. Even Hernandez, normally the quietest of them all, couldn't stop laughing while Scott finally pulled all of them together in a big group hug. Reilly's squad, on the other hand, looked dumbstruck with the sudden turn of events. It was obvious they were not used to having their expected victory snatched away, especially when it had appeared so close too.

"Damn.." Reilly cursed under her breath. "I was sure we had it…" she muttered, shaking her head in disbelief.

"There's always a next time, Sergeant." Nathaniel assured her. She nodded, albeit reluctantly, then set off for her squad for some well-deserved consoling. He couldn't help but notice how Hallows, though by no means unwilling to celebrate their victory, quickly ushered the rest of her squad towards Reilly to shake hands. Judging by everyone's genuine felicitations their gesture was rewarded and made sure there were would be no hard feelings. Just when Nathaniel meant to help out when the winning and losing squads both started to collect all the equipment, Reilly approached him again.

"Well, that was slightly embarrassing. Still, I guess they did sort of deserve to win again after all these years.." she admitted with a slight frown as if their defeat was still much too fresh to really mean it yet.

"Mmm, right you are." he answered her absentmindedly, gazing across the grounds where Hallows was instructing her squad members to carry away the rather heavy targets before assisting Miller with hers.

"Something on your mind, sir?" Reilly asked him. He threw her an apologetic look. Obviously she had picked up on his absence of mind that his vague answer must have betrayed.

"Well, yes, as a matter of fact there is." he said crossing his arms in front of his chest. "I've been thinking about appointing someone to lead Lieutenant Washington's squad now that.. Now that she's gone."

There was a moment of silence as the harsh reality of that sank in. Forcing himself to finish voicing his struggle he rubbed his chin then told her honestly, "It's a puzzle I've mulled over a couple of times and I don't seem to get much closer to solving."

Reilly shrugged as if the answer to his unasked question was surprisingly self-evident, "Well, if you ask me, I think you just found your missing piece of the puzzle, sir."

Nathaniel followed her look until his eyes met with the one person he felt part of him had already unconsciously decided on.

* * *

Thanks for Reading & Please Review! :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer** : I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters and this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

* * *

 **CHAPTER 3**

 **Proposition**

 **THIS** was bad. Really, really bad. _Why hadn't he found out until now_? Dr. Malcolm Wallace paced around his office at top speed. He grabbed his hair in an effort to make himself think clearly now panic threatened to take over. OK. They did have a problem on their hands, a huge one at that, but it wasn't insurmountable. No problems were. Not to him, in any case. Never had been. He just hoped this wouldn't be the exception that proved the rule. He stopped in front of his desk and took up his plex-pad again. He must have checked at least a dozen times already but he forced himself to go over the data once more. Five minutes later he dropped the plex-pad on his desk out of sheer frustration. Nope. He definitely had not been wrong in thinking they were going to have a problem. Soon.

Dejected he sank in his chair and rubbed his forehead with his knuckles. A habit he had grown into whenever reality disappointed or obstructed him. He still believed enough in his own capabilities that he could, eventually, solve the issue, or should he say _issues_ , at hand. But it was going to take time. Time they might not have left. He stood up and walked over to the wooden sculpture in the adjoining laboratory. The carved mermaid looked strangely out of place. He placed his hand on it, tracing the deep grooves in the ancient wood while he contemplated the dark clouds rolling in over the colony.

If he indeed was correct, and there was no way he wasn't, then Terra Nova still faced the threat of being overrun by the Sixers and the Phoenix Group. Scans clearly indicated that this- Well, this _figurehead_ , which seemed to have been ripped straight from the prow of a seventeenth century ship, _did_ come through the portal. That was to say, through the very own fracture that had landed them all here. Unless he was completely misinterpreting the readings..

 _Aye, there's the rub_ , he thought and briefly smiled. He could almost taste the bitter irony on his tongue. On the one hand, provided they weren't dealing with a temporal rift randomly spilling things out in Terra Nova from some equally arbitrarily selected time stream, the possibility of a connection to their original dimension was more than tantalizing news. After all, it could mean they might not be cut off entirely from 2149. But on the other hand, if they'd found this artefact in the Badlands, then that was the place to go to if they were to find any answers. Problem was, their enemy had, by this time, more than likely already arrived there. If they somehow knew more about the temporal rift in the Badlands leading back to the future, they could well be on their way now with back up to finish the job they had started. _If they managed to make use of that rift_ … Malcolm shivered as he contemplated that horrible thought. They would be coming back. No doubt about it. And this time around they would probably want to make sure that they wouldn't meet with any resistance on the way. _They would annihilate all of them_ …

The smile that had been on his face quickly faded into nothingness again at this terrifying thought. Unfortunately, this doom scenario was not the only problem he had found. During these last two weeks it had become painfully clear how low they were running on materials and energy supplies. This was enough of a difficulty in itself, however, it had gotten a lot worse. This morning, Malcolm had traveled to a small research outpost where they had stored large amounts of meteoric iron to study other uses it might have. The moment he had seen the door leading to the underground facility which had hung loosely from its hinges a feeling of foreboding had filled him. And his fears had been realized when all of their stock had disappeared without a trace.

Judging by the all too obvious evidence of a forced entry, it was very likely that, unless the dinosaurs had developed a sudden taste for meteor, the Sixers had gotten to it before they had. Malcolm shuddered to think how many steps ahead they really were. Maybe it was best not to know. The only thing left to regret was the fact that with the meteoric iron they would have had energy supply for another five months. Without it; _they would run out in less than two_..

"You needed to speak to me?" Commander Taylor's low rumbling voice startled him and he stood upright with a jolt.

"Y-Yes. Please, let's go through to my office.." Malcolm mumbled somewhat incoherently, an effect the rather intimidating Commander always seemed to have on him, and waved his hand in the general direction of his office. Before following him Malcolm swallowed hard and looked one last time at that beautiful face of wood whose empty eyes stared back at him in silence, offering nothing of hope.

* * *

With Dr. Wallace's ominous words still ringing in his ears Nathaniel left the science lab with a heavy weight on his shoulders. And possibly an even heavier report in his hand. He grinned despite of the serious trouble the Doctor had assured him they were heading for. Nevertheless, he had managed to write a ridiculously thick report. Apparently, imminent ruin didn't stop him from drawing up dozens of different science projects that needed to continue even if the resources weren't there and there was every chance that the Sixers would destroy their progress in the middle of their research. He had to admit to himself, sometimes he wondered if Doctor Wallace had his priorities straight.

In the end, though, Nathaniel was grateful for his preliminary analysis on the mystery revolving around that eerie figurehead. He was convinced they would have to get to the bottom of it, if only to stop the Sixers using it to their advantage. _No idea how they were going to stop them, or even find them in the outstretched no-man's-land that were the Badlands, though_..

Deciding they had to cross that bridge when they eventually got there, Nathaniel steered his thoughts away from the potential threat awaiting them far away from the colony, focusing instead on that other predicament. They desperately needed to restock on meteoric iron, and that was a problem he was confident they could tackle. Moreover, their chance to succeed would only increase if he was successful in what he had set out to do this afternoon. Checking his watch he realized his lengthy meeting with Dr. Wallace had taken longer than expected. He quickened his pace and ascended the stairs to his office with purposeful strides.

"Looking for something?" Nathaniel couldn't help asking the moment he had stepped inside. Hera Hallows had already been there waiting for him. He couldn't quite figure out though why she was crouched under his desk. At his entering she startled, bumped her head against the glass desktop but managed to stand up surprisingly fast nonetheless.

"Ye- uh, _no_. I wasn't." she said hurriedly with a guilt-ridden look on her face, one hand briefly pressing against the back of her sore head. Nathaniel cocked an eyebrow at her which he hoped would suffice in convincing her that he wasn't buying it. For a moment their eyes were locked together in silence until his enquiring gaze finally succeeded in prying the truth from her. "That is, I just wondered if you found all of them. The charges, I mean.. Sir."

"Charges..?" he repeated in surprise. "As in _bombs_?"

Her still rather guilty expression told him all he needed to know. "Did I miss a memo or something?" he asked somewhat amused and not quite able to believe what he was hearing about explosives in his office.

"I assumed the Sixers had removed all of them once they caught me but I thought I could check now that I was here and.. Um.." she wavered and seemed to struggle to find the right words.

" _I_ _wasn't_." Nathaniel finished the sentence for her, effortlessly following her train of thought.

"I'm sorry, sir, I thought you knew.." Hera said falteringly and continued to explain with a rising color on her cheeks, "During the occupation I rigged some charges together that we planned on using to.. Well, to blow up your office, sir, and all the Sixers and Phoenixes in it. At least, that was our plan." she finished and cast her eyes down.

"I take it they found out what you we're trying to do. Is that why they imprisoned you?" he asked calmly and stepped closer when she nodded.

"Yes, sir. I managed to hide some explosives in Boylan's bar, seeing that it was only frequented by the Phoenixes at times. But then I got caught setting the charges in here. Wash-" Hera stopped abruptly, hesitated for a moment when undoubtedly a memory had come flooding back. She recovered in an instant and said, "Lieutenant Washington came and broke me out of the brig the next day. Once I finally caught on about what she was planning to do.. To use the charges and create enough of a diversion for me and the Shannons to escape.."

Nathaniel could see that she clenched her fist in an effort to suppress her upwelling emotion before she moved on, "I tried to go after her, sir. I really did. But.. It.. It was.."

"It was too late.." he nodded in understanding and walked passed her, dropping the report on his desk. He turned around, sitting on the edge of it, momentarily lost in thought. Nathaniel felt strangely proud of Wash as well as Hera, with their efforts to cleanse the colony of their usurpers. It had been a brave attempt. _He should've been there with them_..

After a while, Hera turned around to face him, apparently longing to break the silence between them. "It must be strange.." she said and, when he looked up at her in confusion, hastily added, "Being back in this office, I mean."

Nathaniel nodded again and smiled at himself for her either misinterpreting his silence as an inability to talk about anything sensitive or simply wishing to steer the topic away from their dear friend's death. Whichever it was, he felt grateful to her for trying to support him in her sympathetic but always slightly awkward way.

"Yes.. Yes, it is. Well, _was_. The fact that everyone went a little overboard with their reports was very effective in familiarizing myself with it again in no time at all." he said and pushed himself off of his desk again. "Of course, there's nothing wrong with being zealous, but uh.." his voice trailed away as he picked up the heavy report again and trusted it to carry his meaning.

"Malcolm's, sir?" Hera guessed.

"Who else's?" he responded dryly.

"Must be a real page turner, sir." Nathaniel frowned at her before answering, "That would very much depend on your definition."

He was glad she managed to smile weakly back at him at this, "I missed that smile. I wondered where it'd got to." he admitted, then, realizing he should have perhaps kept this inner thought to himself, cleared his throat and continued, "Anyway, however much I find it every bit as enthralling as one could possibly hope for with one of Dr. Wallace's reports, I don't doubt you could probably make much more sense of it than I ever could having been a scientist yourself. Tell you what, why don't you read it instead and sift out all the _feasible_ scientific projects he insists on doing?" he asked and handed her the report the size of a novel before she had time to consider his proposition.

"It would be my pleasure, sir." she accepted with a look that betrayed her true feelings which seemingly doubted whether she would still feel the same way about it later.

"Would that be all then, sir?" Hera asked politely and made to leave.

"No, actually, there's something else we need to discuss. I didn't call you here for Dr. Wallace's report but something else entirely. Sit down." he gestured towards the chair across his desk and sat down himself, elbows leaning on the glass and his hands clasped together as he was in the habit of doing. Hera obeyed, albeit slightly hesitant and unsure, and sat down too in front of him.

"Now, I won't beat around bush. I asked you here because the colony needs you. Your squad needs you. _I_ need you. I think you're ready to be promoted and lead your squad in Lieutenant Washington's place."

His words had the effect he had been expecting. At first she simply seemed too much taken aback to be able to say anything. After recovering from her initial shock his proposition sank in and she blinked rather nervously.

" _Me_ , sir?" she asked him with a confused look in her eyes and her right hand pointing at her own heart as if she doubted that he knew who he was asking this of.

It took him the good part of an hour to discuss his proposition with Hera. She was rather reluctant to accept mainly due to a fear of betraying Lieutenant Washington's memory. Moreover, she possessed a humbleness that he could only wish for in all of the people he had to work with here in Terra Nova, and which made her inclined to refuse anything as ambitious and selfish as a promotion. For the few months she'd been an engineering scientist working for the science department he had known her as extremely confident, cocky even at times and occasionally a true know-it-all second only to Dr. Wallace himself. This was not the case now. Once more it was brought home to him how Lieutenant Washington had changed the young woman in front of him. And again he felt a new respect for the both of them.

In the end, Hera had asked permission to think about it before giving him her final answer. He had agreed but insisted that she would tell him of her decision today, there was simply no time to be lost. She had nodded in understanding and left. While Nathaniel fought his way through a remnant of paperwork on his desk and poured over some maps and reconnaissance reports for tomorrow's briefing he could see Hera entering the training grounds for a long run from one of the windows in his circular office. No doubt it was an attempt to clear her mind and figure out what to do next. A good hour later she returned as promised. Nathaniel looked up from his plex-pad as he heard her soft knock on the door.

"Come in, Hallows. Take a seat." he welcomed her back and motioned to the chair opposite him. He shoved aside his papers and plex-pad while she sat down, her back straight and tense as if poised to make an important announcement.

"You made a decision?" he finally prompted her when she looked at him to start the conversation.

"I have, sir."

"Yes..?" he kindly urged her to continue. She took a deep breath and plunged into it at last.

"To be honest it wasn't an easy decision. But I truly feel honored by your proposal, sir. I really do." she started, adding slightly more insecurely, "Of course, I don't have a lot of experience leading a team.. That is.. Well, not too many years ago I was used to always doing things alone. When I came here I didn't expect it to be different, but maybe a part of me hoped it would be. And I believe Wash saw that in me."

The memory of her mentor made her huff out a watery smile, "She taught me that it's not a bad thing to rely on others. It was something I couldn't figure out for myself, but she helped me see it. To walk away from my duties, to abandon the squad now would be a poor way to repay her. _And_ all the faith she put in me. I'll be eternally thankful for her guidance these past years.. And I would be grateful for yours now, sir."

She looked up at him with a determination that made him instantly smile. "That is, if you haven't changed your mind, sir..?" she added not knowing what his grin indicated.

Nathaniel shook his head, "I was only waiting for you to make up yours. And I'm mighty glad that you did. You made the right choice. We both have." he said with the same conviction.

"You can always come to me for advice, you hear?" he stood and offered her his hand. Hera got out of her chair too and accepted his hand, now with a fire kindled behind her misty gray eyes. "Congratulations. _Sergeant_ Hallows." he told her, emphasizing her new rank as he inclined his head towards her.

"Thank you, sir." she hastily responded, tensing up a bit now she was officially to lead her squad.

"Now, there's an important mission coming up. Briefing's first thing tomorrow morning; 08:00 hours. I expect you there." he added suddenly businesslike and held her hand for a moment longer until she nodded.

"Yes, sir. I'll also return Malcolm's report then, shall I?"

"Yes. You do that. Oh- So, um, just out of curiosity, did they find all of them? The charges?" he asked, casually waving a hand around his office.

"Ah, yes, I think so, sir." was her slightly hesitant answer.

"Maybe you could check one more time, you know, make sure it's completely bomb-free and all that.."

"Of course. I'll prep a scanner and get to it immediately."

"Excellent."

"Um, sir, how about the charges in Boylan's bar?"

Nathaniel opened his mouth to speak, then, briefly closing it again when he thought better of what to say, answered her with a somewhat mischievous twinkle in his eyes, "I'm afraid I don't know what explosive devices you're referring to, Sergeant."

"Sir." Hera, a broad smile on her face, inclined her head halfway between a salute and a nod in response, before turning around and leaving his office with a distinctly lighter tread than the one she had entered with.

* * *

Thanks for Reading & Please Review! :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

 **CHAPTER 4**

 **Making Plans**

 **HERA** rushed through the colony, a half-finished energy bar in one hand and Malcolm's overly ambitious report in the other. She had stayed up late last night when her squad had insisted on celebrating her promotion. They somehow had managed to lay their hands on some very good root beer, the effects of which still plagued her head. It had been quite a task afterwards to fight off sleep and finish checking the report. At long last she had managed to come up with a list of the most promising projects. A list she very much hoped Malcolm would never find out was written by her. For he would probably not understand why she had prioritized Dr. Shannon's request to look into producing the Sixers' medication for Sincyllic fever on a larger scale seeing their own preventive inoculation hadn't exactly been failproof so far, instead of Malcolm's own proposal to research the parasitic nature of some really weird looking amoeba he'd found in one of the geysers east from the colony.

She hurried along the gates only to look up when she spotted the gigantic dinosaurs which, punctual as ever, had arrived for some leafy treats from the colonists. With no time left to finish her meager breakfast Hera tossed the energy bar high into the air. An obliging Brachiosaurus greedily caught it but by the sound of his trumpet-like roar didn't seem to share her fondness for the nuts and dried fruits in it. He turned around and headed back into the wilderness, leaving his herd behind. "Woops.. Sorry about that." Hera mumbled her apology while she watched him go, "The other one liked it, though.." she added in her defense before walking on.

She entered the briefing room not five minutes later and joined Sergeant Reilly who smiled in her direction, standing somewhat on the side of the group of slightly raucous officers. Next to her stood Corporal Curran who, with his banishment revoked, had joined the security forces again. He looked rather pale and exhausted, undoubtedly a result of his recent ordeal of surviving on his own in the jungle of Terra Nova and working for Mira accordingly. He seemed determined not to face that same fate ever again. Without noticing her he remained silent with his eyes fixed on the holoscreen placed in front of the group even though it hadn't been turned on yet.

"Congratulations on your promotion, Sergeant Hallows." Reilly said and nodded approvingly. Hera flushed with embarrassment and quickly stammered a thank you. It still felt strange to be here among the officers and considered to be one of them now. She just hoped she could live up to the expectations. Putting this uncomfortable thought aside she politely listened to Reilly's amiable chatter. By the time the briefing started she did feel slightly more at ease as a result.

"Good morning everyone. Let me get started right away." Commander Taylor addressed them, standing in front of the group and switching on the holoscreen behind him with a sleek 'click' from the remote control in his hands. It immediately sprang to life and showed a map with various data intermittently appearing over it.

"As you all know, we'll soon run out of our most important resource: meteoric iron. We cannot afford to let that happen. Especially now, for the foreseeable future at least, we have lost the portal to 2149. Now, there is one obvious place that could solve our shortage; the quarry." the Commander pointed at the map and zoomed in on a rocky, grayish area west of them.

"Problem is, of course, that it's been under control of the Sixers for a long time. Even though lately the situation has changed, Sergeant Baker assures me that there is still a lot of enemy activity. Together with Major Croft, he conducted a recon yesterday and it seems the quarry is now under control of the remnants of the Phoenix group. What's more, it appears that the Sixers, despite the fact that they left and let the Phoenixes in charge, did leave us a nice farewell present." Another 'click' and the stream of data on the holoscreen changed to reveal dozens of red dots strategically scattered before the entrance to the quarry.

"Land mines.." Sergeant Reilly said and let out a whistle in awe of the overwhelming explosive power those tiny red dots represented.

"And an awful lot of them, too." Commander Taylor affirmed and enhanced the image with a flick of his hand on the glass holoscreen.

"Wow, they must really love us to bits, huh." Sergeant Doyle joked which made most of the officers, including Commander Taylor, laugh.

"Don't know about that. But I do know that it'll be impossible to execute an effective ground assault with these mines in the way. So, we need ideas.." the Commander looked expectantly around the room. At this some leaned in closer to investigate the map and the ever changing string of data on the holoscreen. Others turned to each other and whispered suggestions or discussed tactics. Hera listened silently when Reilly joined the discussion their neighbors were having but which soon ended again without much success. Ten minutes later they weren't any closer to a solution. After a while, a deep frown creased Commander Taylor's forehead as they had to abandon plan after plan.

"Do we have an estimate on their number?" Curran asked, it was the first time he had opened his mouth to speak. Most of the officers cast him uncomfortable and rather unfriendly glances but Major Croft answered him nonetheless. She took a few intimidating steps in his direction so she could look down on him with an arrogance no doubt springing from her only just having spent a year at the most remote outpost in Devil's Canyon. Word had it she'd run it as something close to her very own and personal colony. Like Curran, Hera involuntarily grew uncomfortable under the Major's uncanny gaze. Shifting her weight from one foot to the other, part of her couldn't help but wish, with only a small guilty pang, that Major Croft hadn't returned at all.

"Roughly thirty to forty men. Half of them remain on constant guard outside the quarry, the rest is inside. It's possible a few are hidden in the gorge, but not likely. They know the minefield is their best defense." the Major finally reported clinically and with a certain misplaced triumph shining through in her beady eyes. She cleared her throat importantly and went on, "From what we could tell, they possess sonic blasters, handguns and maybe the odd sniper rifle. That's all the intel we could gather, though, seeing we couldn't get closer because of those pterodactyls."

" _Pteranodons_.." When everyone's head turned in her direction Hera realized she had said her somewhat vindictive thought out loud.

" _What_?" Major Croft demanded with a sneer.

"Um.. They're not pterodactyls but a descendant called pteranodon, ma'am."

"I don't see how that's relevant-"

"Actually, it _is_." Hera cut her off rather brusquely. Picturing the majestic winged reptiles a sudden idea had struck her. "Sir," ignoring Croft's venomous look she quickly turned to Commander Taylor, "I think I might have a plan.."

"Go ahead, Sergeant." he nodded in her direction.

"Pteranodons attain wingspans of up to thirty feet, whereas pterodactyl spanned up to a mere eight feet in comparison." she pointed out and couldn't help throwing the Sergeant a knowing look, "So, basically, once airborne pteranodon is about the size of a small plane. Now, we could use this to our advantage. Remember those drones Dr. Wallace and I worked on? Of course we did have some problems-"

Major Croft snorted at this but Hera paid it no attention and continued, "some _minor_ problems with propulsion and maneuverability, but I believe we can fix that. Now, although their usual diet consists of fish, seeing that the mating season just ended the pteranodons tend to stay close to their nests in the gorge and usually look for additional food sources now they don't venture out as far as the sea that much. This means they hunt at dusk when small birds go after the insects that come out and they go after both of them in their turn. The number one hotspot for this, by far, is in the valley at the end of the gorge which the Sixers turned into a mine field…" Hera approached the holoscreen and tapped her finger meaningfully on one of the many red dots.

"If we time our attack based on this, sir," she continued turning back to face the Commander and the others again, "with the sky swarming with hunting pteranodons it would be virtually impossible to pick up the drones by sight or even on radar. At any rate, they would have a very good chance of remaining undetected long enough for us to fly them into position. They're the perfect delivery system for bombs, small missiles even if we manage to put a few of those together."

She noticed she was talking increasingly faster now the plan seemed to shape itself in her head. She paused, checked her thoughts and went on at a slower pace this time. "On second thought, a missile's heat signature might be too much of give away and just some simple charges would be less easy to detect and still efficient enough in detonating the mines upon impact." Hera briefly stroked her lip with her finger, something she always did when deep in thought, then added, "And they would need to be lighter than your average explosives too, say two kilograms, but at the same time still be able to pack enough of a punch to take out the landmines." Hera found Reilly's face among the others who nodded at once in approval.

"Those shouldn't be too hard to make." the Sergeant said and grinned at the prospect.

"This way we should be able to clear a path through the mine field so the rovers can move in to start the ground assault." she concluded waving a hand in the direction of the map on the holoscreen again. Then, when an afterthought hit her, hastily added, "Oh, in case of any pteranodon on the ground, we would have to be careful though. Unlike birds they're not bipedal."

"Which means, what again, exactly?" Sergeant Baker asked carefully. Most people around him still seemed occupied with digesting her idea but the majority looked up at his question nonetheless.

"Well, on the ground they use all four legs to move instead of just two, so they're quite fast over short distances. They might not have any teeth, but trust me with a beak that size you do not want to be surprised by a pteranodon. Especially in the middle of a minefield.."

At this Sergeant Baker wasn't the only one that started to look rather worried. Hera, full of unrestrained enthusiasm now her mind was so busy with thinking out all the details, quickly moved on.

"Anyway, Wash-" she had been on the verge of saying her former leader's name but stopped herself just in time, "My squad could take position here," she indicated the plateau of the ravine that was split in two forming the winding but shallow gorge, "from this vantage point it would be ideal to operate the drones, maybe provide additional air support even, should that prove necessary. And some sniper rifles would come in handy too, to take out any snipers on the Phoenix side and make sure they are eliminated before they can cause problems for the ground forces."

"You would be in a perfect position to take out those ptera-thingies too, should they plan on eating us." Sergeant Baker interjected with many approving nods around him.

"It's not likely they will consider you part of their menu, but yes, if we take up position on the edge of the ravine we could take them out too if necessary." Hera admitted.

"With the cliffs and the sea behind them, they would have no way to go. We could flush those Phoenixes out.. For good." Reilly said with a gleeful look on her face.

Hera looked at the Commander awaiting his judgment. She was relieved when he nodded once she had caught his eyes, "I agree. Sounds like the best plan we've got. " He said and patted her on the shoulder with one of his proud and strangely youthful winks. Hera tried to contain her joy at this but smiled broadly nonetheless now she felt that no pteranodon in this savage world could ever make her regret the plan _he_ had approved of.

* * *

It took a well-deserved long and hot shower to wash away all the oil and grime that had gotten virtually everywhere. Together with Hera, who thankfully seemed to have recovered and taken on her role as a liaison between the science department and the security forces again, he had spent the last two days repairing and adjusting a handful of drones. Malcolm rubbed his sore back and turned off the tap. Grabbing a towel he headed to his room. While he dried himself and pulled on new fresh clothes he realized how exhausted he was. He cast a longing glance at his bed then quickly turned his back on it before he would succumb to the temptation to take a quick powernap. Instead he headed out to the lab again, there was still quite a bit of work to do. He filled two mugs with steaming coffee and waited for the glass doors to slid back and let him in.

Hera was bent over one of the drones oblivious to anything else. "Here. I thought you might be wanting this." Malcolm offered and placed the coffee in front of her. Its aroma very effectively and almost instantaneously woke her out of her concentration.

"Thanks!" She gratefully pulled the mug closer and folded her hands around it.

"How's it going?" Malcolm informed, inclining his head towards the drone she had been working on. It was the same as the one she had been programming when he'd left to take his shower.

"I'd say we're almost there." She told him after taking a sip of the hot coffee, "I only need to finish up on putting the last remote controls together. If you could help me it shouldn't take longer than a couple of hours."

 _Good_ , Malcolm thought. Preparing the remote controls he could do. Only two to three hours more and then he finally could get some sleep. He shot a quick glance at her sideways. She looked almost as tired as he must. He was genuinely glad that Hera was here to help him. Granted, he had enough staff to assist him but none of them had that touch of brilliance that he had often perceived in Hera. And that made it such a pleasure to work with her.

Not that he would ever admit this out loud. If only because his usual assistant, Dr. Julia Chekov, would explode with unfounded jealousy and he would probably have to face the other disgruntled scientists who would not like to be branded dull in comparison with an engineering scientist who had gone rogue to boot. But most of all, perhaps, he simply didn't want to admit to himself that he felt strangely guilty at times to have been the one to bring her here. After all, by selecting her to be a part of the seventh pilgrimage, fulfilling his promise to her in doing so, he had inadvertently changed the course of her career. He knew he wasn't entirely to blame, but he still felt he'd failed when she had chosen to leave the science division despite his reluctance to let her go. Why a talented scientist like Hera had forgone a no doubt brilliant career within his department to become part of the security forces instead was still very much beyond him.

Fortunately, she hadn't abandoned her scientific mind altogether. There had been several projects they had worked on and there would probably be more in the future. He started to walk around the lab, going over each of the drones with a scrutinizing look which soon brought him back to present again. _Right, better get to it_ , he reminded himself and abandoned his empty coffee mug to turn to the pile of remote controls in front of him.

They were just finishing up on their final scans when with an audible hiss the door slid back and Sergeant Reilly stepped inside. "How are my babies doing?" She asked them looking around expectantly.

"Your.. _what_?-" Dr. Malcolm tore himself away from his plexpad as her words began to sank in but failed to make sense to him.

"She means the bombs." Hera filled him in with a grin.

"Yeah, what do you think I meant?" Sergeant Reilly cocked an amused eyebrow. Feeling slightly ridiculous Malcolm hastily turned around to hide his reddening face from their inquisitive stares saying through gritted teeth, "Yes, I knew that. They're doing peachy, just.. _peachy_."

"Take a look for yourself, ma'am. The charges have been successfully integrated into the drones themselves. Once they're in position we can activate and release them with the remote controls."

"Easy-peasy, huh?" Despite her nonchalance the Sergeant seemed impressed. She patted a drone as if it were a long lost pet she couldn't wait to blow up.

"Careful!" Malcolm snapped and rushed towards them from his chair with the plexpad still in his hands. Sergeant Reilly hastily raised hers but winked at Hera when she caught her eyes. Suppressing a laugh Hera quickly looked down to examine her feet. Malcolm again felt very foolish but, deciding that he wasn't going to be intimidated by their childish chuckling started to carefully examine the drone to check everything was still in order. It was then that he observed a strange object attached on top of it.

"What on earth is this supposed to mean?!" He exclaimed in horror.

"Oh, they're skull crests, actually. You know like the ones the pteranodons-" Hera started to explain but was quickly silenced again when Malcolm threw her one of his infamous 'and-you-call-yourself-a-scientist' looks which he usually reserved only for the lucky few.

"We don't need them." He decided with a frown, regretting the fact that he had been too absorbed with analyzing the final test results to have noticed this latest, and in his eyes utterly useless, addition by Hera.

"Yes we do," Hera protested, "Makes them more.. Aerodynamic." Malcolm shook his head in disbelief at her suggestion. It was a good thing he had never admitted out loud that he thought of her as possessing a brilliant mind, he thought spitefully. _Drones with skull crests_.. _What was next_? _Rovers with eyelashes for their headlights_?

"If anything it makes them _less_ aerodynamic." He argued and added with an all knowing look on his face, "You just added them because they look cool." He realized a moment too late what he had said but judging by the smile spreading across Hera's face it was too late to take it back.

"So, you _do_ like them, then." She said teasingly.

"Good. Me too. I think they're a nice touch." Sergeant Reilly agreed, then a sudden idea seemed to struck her.

"Oh! Is it too late for me to write a message on my bombs? I'd like to share a few things with those Phoenixes.." She asked and turned to Malcolm with pleading eyes. He sighed in defeat, unable to stop himself from giving in to Reilly's and Hera's good mood.

"Why not?" He said and reached for the drone before the Sergeant could, wondering why he couldn't help admiring that contagious, happy-go-lucky smirk of hers.

Thanks for Reading & Let me know what you think! :=)


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

 **CHAPTER 5**

 **Leadership**

 **THE** terrain was rough going and it had taken them some time to get into position. The climb up to the plateaus had been steep and slippery. The latter wasn't due to the rain or the shallow river coursing through the gorge, but rather a result of its temporary inhabitants. Befitting their size the surprising amount of pteranodon droppings had been a rather unwelcome discovery.

They had finally made it, however, and Hera was relieved when Hernandez and Scott checked in to affirm they were in position too. She clipped her radio on her belt again and instead grabbed the binoculars she had placed on a rock next to her. She trained them on the other side of the gorge where, after a brief search, Hera spotted both of her squad members lying low on the edge, covered by rocks and thorny shrubs.

She put the binoculars down and checked her watch. Good. They were still right on time. In fact, if they managed to set up the drones within the next twenty minutes they would be ahead of schedule. _No time to lose then_ , she thought and crawled back to Miller and Evans who were waiting for her behind a particularly thorn-rich bush behind which a boulder the size of a rover jutted out over the edge. Hera nodded in their direction, "We're all in position now. And as far as I can tell the coast is clear. For now, at least."

"Time to prep the drones?" Miller asked and hastily added, "Ma'am?" All three of them laughed then hastily contained themselves again in case their laughter would carry and was picked up by unfriendly ears. Everyone was still getting used to addressing Hera as they would any officer, but seeing she had always been an extension of Lieutenant Washington in the field her role in the squad hadn't changed that much apart from now officially being their leader. Overall they'd adjusted to it quite naturally, something for which Hera felt immensely grateful.

"We'll ready the drones together. Evans, I want you on the lookout. Keep an eye on what's going on out there and if there's any unusual activity let me know ASAP. Clear?" He nodded in understanding, then after a short 'Yes, ma'am' took up his position closer to the edge of their plateau. Hera turned to Miller and together they started to prepare the remote controls and initiated a pre-flight check not much later. Everything checked out okay and the drones seemed ready for action. Not five minutes later Hernandez let her know that they were ready to go too and would await her order to advance. Hera felt relieved that the first stage of the mission had gone to plan. Especially now she was in sole charge.

Although she had taken over command before in absence of Wash, this time she felt rather lonely knowing that she wouldn't be able to ask her for help or advice. She had grown accustomed to always having her there when she needed her. Observing her style of command and watching her closely in action so she could improve herself had quickly become second nature to her. But now she was very much on her own. More than anything she wanted to succeed, thereby proving not only to herself but most of all to Wash that she had learned all that she could. That she was ready for this.

The sudden crackling static from her radio disrupted her thoughts when Commander Taylor's steady voice asked for an update. Inwardly rebuking herself for losing her focus, even if only for half a minute, she answered it.

"Good. Commence attack in precisely twenty minutes." He ordered her after she had told him they were ready.

"Understood, sir."

"Good hunting, Sergeant." He wished her luck. Hera was grateful he couldn't see her tense face. When she answered she made sure her voice didn't waver.

"Thank you, sir. See you at the gates. Hallows out."

"Taylor out." There was a crackle of static again before the transmission was cut off. It was vital they kept their communications short with the Phoenix Group in such close proximity. Even though they were scrambling their frequencies there was always a chance a message was intercepted. Still, hearing his confident and strong voice had given her the courage she needed. Hera motioned Evans to join her and Miller with the drones. They would have one each under their control.

Hera looked up at the darkening sky above. She trained her binoculars and spotted dozens of birds busy chasing insects. She couldn't resist zooming in until she recognized the species. _Iberomesornis_. A beautiful light brown and rather small bird. Hera, trying not to feel guilty that they were basically using them as bait turned to look at the opposite plateau. Scott and Hernandez were still in position and ready to launch the drones. A loud screech grated her ears. She hastily put her binoculars down. She didn't need them to spot the first huge pteranodon that took to the skies now the sunlight was rapidly fading. Soon there were dozens more who joined him in the hunt. Their noisy screeches filled the air. Light was failing rapidly now the last sunrays left streaks of orange on the purpling sky.

Hera checked her watch. Just over one minute till take off. She quickly toggled her radio for the right frequency, "One minute till show time." She let the others know.

"Understood, ma'am." Came their affirmation. Looking at both Miller and Evans she nodded. _Ok_. _Here_ goes nothing, she thought and switched on the drone's engine. A dull humming sound, much like that of an angry bee, reverberated through the air around them. Miller and Evans did the same causing the humming to swell. There was no danger of it being heard though, by this time the sky was crawling with the pteranodon.

When it was time, Hera manually guided her drone to take off. It hovered there before her, its makeshift skull crest gleaming in the dusk. _Good luck_ , she thought and switched to automatic pilot. It went straight up, followed by the other two drones. Hera watched them go as they were joined by the remaining two drones from Hernandez and Scott. A moment later they dispersed and infiltrated the pteranodon, deftly avoiding collision seemingly without effort. It had taken them hours to prep the necessary sensors and programming but their efforts had definitely paid off.

"So far so good." She muttered, more to herself than the others who were still gazing in the direction the drones had flown to. Hera tore hers away from the tangle of leathery wings, long beaks, buzzing insects, fleeing Iberomesornis and, somewhere amongst all of those, their humming drones.

"Miller, take up position there where you can see everything going on below in the gorge. Warn me if anything, or anyone shows up." Miller nodded and instantly set off in the direction indicated by Hera, moving soundlessly and crouching like a tiger.

"Evans, check the readings from the drones and let me know if there's anything off." Hera indicated the small laptop they'd brought and which had to act as their flight control. With it they could closely monitor the drones' position and status. Despite being on automatic pilot they could still switch them to manual control to fly them with the remotes if anything went wrong.

Positive that everything was under control for now Hera was about to check in with the other two when a high pitched shriek suddenly rented the air. Without a moment's warning a huge black shape charged at Evans from the shadows. Hunched over the laptop he was completely caught off guard. He fumbled for his sonic blaster which lay at his feet. Hera darted forwards as fast as the sloping and treacherous ground would allow it. She managed to place herself between Evans and the territorially overactive Pteranodon. Hera was milliseconds away from firing a warning shot when the cunning predator broke off its stampede mere meters from her. Even from this distance it towered over her and he snapped his beak menacingly at her. She didn't have the luxury to look around but she felt Evans next to her, sonic blaster raised and ready to fire.

"Wait! Let me deal with our guest here. Continue to monitor the drones, the mission comes first." She told him without taking her eyes of the Pteranodon in front of her which had started to scratch his claws on the rocks and had taken on an impressive threatening posture. For a moment Hera doubted whether she stood a chance against this formidable creature. Judging by the vicious look in his beady eyes the pteranodon seemed convinced that she wouldn't. He unfolded his wings and stretched them arrogantly while he opened his beak wide. _Show off_ , Hera thought but that was all she had time for to think when, without warning, the pteranodon decided to charge again.

Hera fired once and a sonic blast hit it straight on the chest. Enraged the pteranodon flapped wildly with its leathery wings and let out another loud shriek that pierced her head. He didn't give up yet and came at her again. This time she fired two shots. It was enough to make him lose his balance this time. He toppled back and smacked on the rock, lying there like a crumpled leathery rock himself. It still wasn't over though. Coming round surprisingly fast he scrambled and rose again like an extremely ugly tent pitching itself. Hera quickly intensified the settings on her blaster and shot almost in the same instant when he was only a meter away.

The stronger sonic blast and the closer proximity to her weapon made the pteranodon finally give up. He screeched angrily, snapping its beak one final time, then with impressive strength flapped his wings and took to the air. Hera ducked just in time when he flew over her, the tip of his wing touching her hair. Then he was swallowed by the growing darkness around them.

"How are the drones doing?" Hera immediately inquired and looked around at Evans. Although looking slightly shaken by their unwanted visitor he reassured her the drones were operating perfectly and close to reaching their targets.

"ETA?" She asked kneeling down and looking over his shoulder at the laptop.

"Two minutes and fifteen seconds, ma'am."

"Good.." She let out a sigh of relief and tried to loosen up her muscles by rolling her shoulders. Her little scuffle with the pteranodon had released an uncomfortable amount of adrenaline into her system. It was a wasted effort when Evans suddenly tapped at the screen with his index finger as if trying to get rid of an interfering bug. She tensed up again immediately.

"No, no, no…" His voice sounded panic stricken by now.

"What is it?" Hera leaned closer to see the clock, which was counting down the last thirty seconds, underneath one of the drones was flashing red. Not a good sign.

"Drone 2 has gone off course. Automatic pilot must be malfunctioning." Evans concluded staring at the screen. _Twenty-seven seconds left_. _Twenty-six_. _Twenty-five_.

"Switch to manual and fly it back in position, it's not far off from its intended drop zone." She ordered him in as calm a voice as she could muster. With her heart throbbing in her throat she watched how Evans typed in the necessary commands and grabbed the remote control. Hooking it up into the laptop the screen switched to radar mode combined with a bird's eye view camera. Rubbing his sweaty hands hastily on his trousers he slowly but steadily altered the drone's course. _Fifteen seconds_. _Twelve seconds_. _Nearly there_..

"Come on, come one, come on…" Evans muttered feverishly under his breath.

"You can do it. Almost there." Hera encouraged him not sure if her words reached him now all his concentration was bent on the drone. With five seconds to spare he eventually succeeded to maneuver the drone in the right position. Relieved he leaned back and wiped his brow on his sleeve.

"Well done." Hera praised him and patted him on the back. _That had been close_. _Really_ _close_.

"Release in three, two, one.. Bombs away, ma'am." He reported, his eyes still glued to the screen. A split second later there was a series of deafening explosions. Hera covered her ears instinctively. With blood curdling screams the pteranodon fled away from the valley that for a moment had turned into a sea of flames while it rained debris. The cameras on the drones, shaking because of the impact wave but holding position, all showed large raging fires and heavy thick smoke shooting up. _All except one…_

"Scott here. Sergeant, we appear to have a problem."

With a bad feeling she already knew what she was going to say Hera took up her radio. "Go ahead."

"Drone 4's releasing mechanism is jammed. We tried switching to manual and rebooting the system from here, but no luck." It was clear from her tight voice that she was immensely frustrated.

"Is the drone still in position?" Hera asked, one of those crazy ideas she wished she didn't have suddenly entering her head.

"Affirmative."

"Recall drone 5 as planned. Leave 4 to me. Hallows out."

"Understood. Scott out." There was no time to lose, drone 4 was supposed to blow up the mines in the middle to link together the two paths they were creating; one coming from the gorge, and the other from the gates leading to the quarry itself. It was vital they detonated those mines before ground assault commenced. Luckily, they had actually thought of a back-up plan. _Well, sort of, anyway_.

"Evans, get Miller here to assist you with recalling drone 2. Then, prep the remote controls for drones 1 and 3. I want to try something first but if I fail I want you to set a collision course for drone 4 with either 1 or 3. We have to make sure those charges reach the surface to create that corridor, the mission depends on it." Evans needed no incentive, he nodded determinedly and accepted the radio when she handed it to him.

"Give me one minute." Hera said before she quickly swapped her sonic blaster for the slender sniper rifle slung on her back. She hurried past the thorny bush and fought her way through it once she had found a spot that provided enough of an opening to allow her passage. The thorns scratched the exposed skin on her fingers, neck and face, though, the body armor she wore stopped most of them from doing any serious harm. Finally she reached the rugged boulder jutting out over the edge. From here she had the perfect vantage point. Kneeling down she readied her rifle, lifted it up to her shoulder and peered through the scope.

It took all of her will power to force her breathing to slow down, become one with the rifle and find her target which was tricky to see between all the frightened pteranodon and the smoke. Her heart skipped a beat when she finally found what she was looking for. _Drone 4_. It was still hovering above the right spot and with a green light flashing from under its belly. The charge was still set. _Perfect_. _Here we go_. Hera released the safety catch and pulled the trigger. She intently watched as the drone tumbled down at a dizzying speed. No more than a couple of seconds later it crashed with an earsplitting thud and an enormous explosion followed. _Well, they could definitely kiss that drone goodbye, but, most importantly, the rovers were good to go_.

She was about to get up and return to Evans when a single clear shot ripped through the air like the crack of a whip. Hera could hear its echo bouncing off the rocks in the gorge below before she realized she had been hit. Falling back she grabbed her shoulder and winced when a sharp and stinging pain spread across her arm from where the bullet had grazed it. _Damn it_. _Just what she needed on her first mission as squad leader_. Below her she could hear Evans and Miller approaching through the thorn bush.

"Stay away!" She shouted hoping they would hear her in time. The sounds of movement stopped then Miller's face peeked carefully around a large and particularly thorny branch.

"Ma'am? Are you all right?" Came her worried inquiry.

"Yes. I'm fine. Just, stay low. There's a sniper. I saw where the shot came from. He's on the other plateau. I'll take him out. Radio Scott and tell her there might be more Phoenixes lurking on their side. Make sure we're clear on this side and take care of the drones. I'll join you soon."

Without waiting for an answer Hera pushed herself from the ground. Ignoring the increasing pain in her right shoulder and the warm blood gushing from the wound she crawled forward until she reached the edge. Lying as flat on her belly as she could she positioned her rifle, its muzzle slightly over the edge, and pressed herself against the cheek piece. Hera scanned the rocks rising up on the other side of the gorge until she spotted the tell-tale reflection of a laser beam a bit above to her right. She steadied herself, held her breath and made to shoot. Knowing her enemy had already made her position, instinct told her she would only have the one shot..

Thanks for Reading & Let me know what you think! :=)


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thanks for your review EFBT! :D I'm glad you enjoyed the action, I'm an amateur at best when it comes to military strategies but I'm glad you didn't call my bluff, that way at least Hera still has the appearance of being a capable soldier haha ;p And I'm making 'Major Snootypants' that character's official nickname, it just sounds so right for her (and I'm afraid it's gonna stick with her for a while too seeing she'll pop up in the sequel to this story) hihi**

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

 **CHAPTER 6**

 **The Quarry**

Nathaniel watched with a satisfied grin as the valley before him burned. Though it had taken longer than expected, a road had been cleared. He watched the last of the drones, not counting the one he could have sworn he saw getting shot down minutes ago, as they headed back in the direction of the gorge. _Now it was his time_. He lowered his binoculars and raised himself out of the rover. Holding on to the roof railing with one hand he looked around him at all the rovers and Rhinos. The moment they had heard the first explosions the vehicles and their passengers had come to life as one. With their roaring engines they seemed like an unearthly choir poised to charge at their enemy.

"Here we go! Move out, move out!" He shouted at the top of his lungs to be heard over the noise. He returned to his seat and nodded at Dunham, his usual driver, who took off instantly. In front of the motorcade were a handful of rovers that had been outfitted with water cannons. They made short work of any remaining fire, then, when their work was done moved aside to let the others through. Nathaniel was the first to reach the gates and ordered Dunham to make a sharp turn to the right. He wanted to seal off the corridor thereby cutting off any escape route.

They got peppered by gunfire the moment the Phoenixes had figured out they were being attacked. He leaned out of the rover and answered with a round of his own sonic blaster. The sonic waves knocked down several Phoenixes and hit the gates as well which shuddered violently in its rusty hinges. Together with his own squad and the rest of the ground forces he took cover behind the rovers. Then, once the first rain of bullets ceased he lead the attack and sprinted towards the gates firing round after round with his blaster. As one they stormed the entrance and pushed through in wild ecstasy. Nathaniel knew both sides could lose lives now the Phoenixes defended themselves and the quarry with everything they got. But he also knew they couldn't give up now they were so close to achieving their goal..

"Charge!" He rallied those around him and lead them on for that final all deciding push.

Gradually, Nathaniel had lost all sense of time in the thrill of the fight but he knew it had not been long when the last Phoenix surrendered. They had successfully broken through their resistance and could now claim their prize; within the quarry there were crates upon crates in long, high rows filled to the brim with meteoric iron. Excited by this overwhelming amount he was extremely glad they had managed to pull it off. This was an important victory. One that guaranteed a steady energy supply source for the colony.

Moreover, it was a victory that hadn't spilled any blood. Terra Novan blood, that was. Although there were about a dozen wounded, some serious but most minor, no lives had been lost. The same couldn't be said for the Phoenixes. Even when they knew they were fighting a battle they couldn't hope to win they had continued until the bitter end. Somewhere Nathaniel could understand the honor in that. Well, more so than in that of those that had turned tail and fled, deserting their comrades in the process. He hadn't bothered pursuing them, though, not doubting that the jungle would take care of it and deliver its own cruel justice on those unhappy but deserving souls.

Thinking back at the twenty or more lifeless men laid out in rows in a corner of the quarry, a grim frown creased his brows. He abhorred wasting lives. If only more people recognized the real honor in surrendering to save them instead. Nathaniel sighed now this train of thought involuntarily reminded him of his Second's noble act and forcibly rubbed his forehead to clear his head. Although the fighting was over, there were still things to be done.

Nathaniel immediately ordered his squad to set out a perimeter and keep watch. Then he made sure all the wounded were placed inside the rovers to take them back to the colony as soon as possible for proper medical care. After this was done he loaded as many crates as they could fit in them in the other rovers. Leaving Sergeant Reilly in charge to defend the quarry should there be any Phoenixes left wanting to retake it and promising she should have back-up sent to her directly, Nathaniel made one final round before heading out with the convoy.

Judging by the hurriedly abandoned tools, shovels, carts and explosive charges that lay scattered haphazardly around the quarry and in the mines underground, the Phoenixes must have been digging for more iron when their attack had forced them to leave everything behind and fight instead. Not wanting to go to deep into the dark and winding caves and warning his men not to either, it was easy to get lost and who knew what horrific creatures it held, Nathaniel headed back to the surface where a salty air reminded him of the sea and the black cliffs only a mile ahead. Wishing he could go there but knowing this wasn't the right time for a fishing trip he turned his back on the tempting smell and climbed inside the rover already waiting for him.

He estimated they were halfway back when the rain started. At first the windshield wipers managed to deal with it but soon it turned into a real downpour. Dunham slowed down and squinted through the window but it was getting harder and harder to see ahead. It was then that the wind gained strength and eventually rocked the rover as if it were a small dinghy at sea at the mercy of ever rising devouring waves. Nathaniel leaned outside and craned his neck to get a good view of the rest of the convoy. All he could see were hazy shapes in the rain like a herd of strange square-shaped elephants except for the headlights which were the only bright thing to be seen in the gray curtain of rain. As far as he could tell he had counted all seven vehicles. Despite the bad weather conditions they hadn't lost anyone. _Yet_.

Getting more anxious to reach the colony Nathaniel double checked their position with the navigation system built into the rover. It was a rudimentary system but at least it still worked despite the storm. His eyes found their current location, about five miles still to go, though the last two across the plains would be easier terrain for the rovers in this weather. They just had to endure for a little while longer.

He looked up at the night's sky above him. All the stars were gone, veiled by the dark and ominous looking clouds that seemed to chase each other across the sky. Then an impressive bolt of forked lightning tore through the clouds seemingly in an effort to break them apart. It took mere seconds for a crashing rumble of thunder to turn the storm into something close to a living and terrifying monster. _Stupid_. Nathaniel thought and cursed under his breath. They should have been more careful. The tricky part was that these tropical storms could not always be predicted. They would be upon you in minutes, wreak havoc and move on to dissolve not an hour later leaving a path of destruction in its wake.

"We're coming up on the plains, sir." Dunham told him, his hands grabbing onto the wheel for dear life as he tried to avoid crashing into trees. Nathaniel nodded and was on the verge of saying something when, with a loud cracking sound, lightning struck. His eyes drawn to movement in the side mirror he spotted smoke curling up from a tree that had been felled by the violent collision. Behind it a rover had apparently crashed into it. From the corner of his eye Nathaniel saw how Dunham instinctively wanted to break. He grabbed his arm and shook his head saying sternly, "You drive on. I'll handle this." He unfastened his seatbelt and made to jump out of the rover when he added with a backward glance at his rather pale driver, "Once you reach the plains stick close to the tree lines. Get them back safe." The young man nodded, determination returning to his eyes. Then Nathaniel, without a moment's hesitation, turned around and jumped.

He rolled his body up like a ball to break his fall and landed in some bouncy ferns. Getting to his feet he made sure to switch on the flashlight on his tac-vest so the other rovers would see him. Waving them on he was soon drenched in the torrential rain which fell down as if tons of buckets with icy water were turned upside down overhead. When all of them had passed he headed at a jog towards the felled tree. Fighting against the wind and blasts of rain he finally made it. When he saw movement inside the stranded vehicle he felt warm relief wash over him. The next moment he spotted Hera clambering out of the rover and almost slipping on the wet world around her.

"Sergeant Hallows. What's your status?" He asked her in a loud voice he hoped would carry over the noise of thunder and the howling wind around them.

"Commander?!" She exclaimed, looking extremely glad to see him. "When the lightning struck there was no time to evade the tree, sir. Everything's still working, engines are operable, no leaking hydro cells, nothing. But Hernandez smacked his head against the wheel pretty bad, he's still conscious but probably has a concussion. The others are fine. I told them to stay inside and just wanted to evaluate the outside damage to the rover, sir." She shouted back, taking lungful gasps of air in between. Nathaniel instinctively leaned closer trying to block her from the wind as best he could so she could breathe more freely. She nodded in appreciation,

"Thank you, sir. I'm okay."

"Just take it easy for a moment." He insisted kindly. When she seemed recovered enough he gestured her to follow him and both of them disappeared around the back of the rover. Soon they spotted the problem. The rover's back tires had sunk inch deep into the muddy underground.

"Get someone to help push it free." Nathaniel commanded her and grabbed a thick branch to stud the rover with. She returned moments later with Evans who looked unharmed by the accident and eager to help. Hera told him that Miller had taken over the wheel from Hernandez to step on the gas and help them that way. Nathaniel nodded approvingly and following his instructions they started to push the rover with all their might until, inch by inch it slowly crawled out of the mud. With a last effort and a little bit of luck the engines roared a final time and the rover broke free.

Not a moment too soon. With another thunderous crack a bolt of lightning struck again. Nathaniel whisked around in time to see how a branch the size of a motorbike was snapped off a tree not five meters away as if it had been no more than a twig. "Time to go!" He called to the others who had instantly cowered against the back of the rover in search of protection.

They needed no incentive. When Evans had disappeared around the rover Nathaniel saw Hera making to follow but she suddenly lost her balance. He grabbed her just in time to keep her on her feet. Looking slightly dizzy she blinked a couple of times against the wind and rain whipping her hair against her face. She looked like she was about to faint. A longing to protect her swelled inside him and he caressingly wiped away the mud on her face before he could stop himself. It was icy to the touch and looking into her wavering eyes it was clear she was struggling to keep conscious.

"What's wrong-" He fell silent, his words trailing away powerlessly when he noticed the wound on her right shoulder. The rough fabric from her trousers had been wrapped around it. This had temporarily stopped the bleeding, or at least it should have but it was hard to tell because of the rain which was soaking her to the bone. Blood had turned the torn cloth red and it poured from the wound where it mingled with the rain.

"You're hurt.." Nathaniel whispered in a hushed voice then shook his head in an effort to shake off the sickening worry that instantly grabbed him by the throat. He swung her left arm around him and hurriedly got her inside the rover. The rain hammered on the roof like hailstones.

"It's just a grazing shot, sir. Nothing but a scratch. Those Phoenixes really are exceptionally lousy shots, sir. I'm fine.." She managed to protest with a weakened voice.

"The hell you are." He was in no mood to argue and rather roughly pushed her back in her seat.

"Evans, get that med kit from Scott and see if you can do something to stop that bleeding." He ordered and forced himself to return to the front of the rover where Miller sat waiting behind the wheel. He strapped himself tight and looked at her sideways with stern eyes.

"Get us home."

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Thanks for Reading & Let me know what you think! :=)


	7. Chapter 7

**EFBT:** **Thanks for yet another wonderful review, you're spoiling me, you know that, right? ;) This chapter is less action-packed but I hope you'll like it all the same!**

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 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

 **CHAPTER 7**

 **Hope**

 **PICKING** up the paint roller again as if it was to be her trusted weapon in a duel, Hera rolled her shoulders, her right one healed without a trace of pain or even a scar, and stared determinedly at the wall before her. Their barracks were in desperate need of some new color, the old and dull paint layer was peeling off in places and the storm three days ago hadn't done it any favors either. Together with her squad and some other volunteers they had started the long and rather tiresome job of repainting the three-story wooden buildings next to the training grounds.

Dipping her roller in the lemonish yellow paint she continued where she had left off. A rain of paint splattered everywhere but Hera, used to this by now, ignored it and proceeded stubbornly. Stealing a glance at the others she realized that compared to them she was still making very slow progress. Increasing her effort she picked up the pace.

"Sergeant Hallows?" Hera turned around, roller in midair with paint flying everywhere, to find Corporal Reynolds looking at her inquiringly.

"Yes. What is it, Corporal?" She asked him trying to look more confident with her painting skills.

"Commander Taylor wants a word. He said not to come to his office but Dr. Wallace's instead at your earliest convenience. Ma'am." He delivered his message with the air of a schoolboy who had just zealously learned a lesson by heart.

"Right.." Hera muttered back at him, feeling as if a stone had suddenly been dropped into her stomach, weighing her down. She really hoped this wasn't about the quarry mission. The debriefing two days ago had been relatively okay, despite the fact that Major Croft had blamed her for the Phoenix sniper who had been very close to potentially ruining the entire mission. Luckily both Sergeant Reilly and Corporal Curran had spoken on her behalf, pointing out that Croft had been appointed the task to set up a perimeter and prevent any enemy from coming within range of Hera's squad so they could do their job in relative safety. Commander Taylor hadn't seemed to need their arguments to convince him of Croft's unreasonable accusation, though. In the end the indignant Major had stormed off throwing Hera one of her seething looks, but that had been the end of that story.

Praying inwardly that this was still the case Hera nodded in Reynolds' direction now he was still waiting for her reply. Whatever this was about she did feel rather grateful for the interruption, her hands were painful after squeezing the roller for more than two hours.

"Thank you. I'll go at once." She said and made to leave, seeing the roller still in her hands soon stopped her in her tracks again. Before he had time to refuse Hera pushed the roller in the Corporal's hands instead.

"Here. Go crazy." She added with a smile and quickly headed for the science lab on the other side of the colony.

Unbuttoning her overall and freeing her arms from the baggy sleeves Hera hoped that, for the upper half at least, it would help in appearing a little less paint-stained when she entered Malcolm's office. He looked up from one of the many plexpads strewn across his desk. Judging by his strangely amused frown pulling off the overall to her hips had been a wasted effort. "Don't say a word or I'll give you a hug." Hera stopped him when Malcolm had opened his mouth no doubt for one of his annoyingly witty comments. He closed it again and shrugged, a grin spreading across his face nonetheless.

"However much tempted, I'll try not to then." He promised. "Besides, we have more important things to discuss." He added with a mysterious glint in his eyes, "Follow me." He rose from his chair and preceded her through the glass door leading to the main lab. On the center table a large object was covered under a white sheet. Malcolm headed directly for this table and looked back at her with one hand grabbing the sheet as if he was about to either introduce his latest invention or perform a magic trick. Hera followed suit wondering what on earth was going on.

"Prepare to be amazed!" He announced dramatically and with a spectacular _swoosh_ he pulled back the sheet, revealing the hidden object beneath it.

"What on earth-" Hera stammered then fell silent as words failed her. Stunned her eyes took in every inch of the wooden mermaid on the table in front of her.

An hour later Hera still could barely believe what Malcolm had discovered. Well, technically the Sixers had beat them to it, but still, here it was, tangible proof that their fracture had long ago already stranded this prow here in Terra Nova. Unbelievable, but true. Together with a wildly enthusiastic Malcolm she browsed through all of the data and scans he shoved in her direction until she had a mountain of plexpads in front of her. They were still in the middle of a lengthy discussion about the readouts on the last scan when Commander Taylor walked in.

Hera automatically straightened and tried to look less flustered than she felt. Suddenly self-conscious of her appearance and regretting the fact she had forgotten to scratch the paint of her face and hands at least she folded the latter hastily behind her back.

"Well, I can tell by your mutual looks of sheer triumph that the Doctor filled you in and you found me something good. Am I right?" He looked rather amused at the pair of them.

"Yes, sir." She replied dutifully.

"Care to share your conclusions with me?" He asked, gesturing for them both to take a seat when he himself, with a brief disgruntled look from Malcolm which he thankfully didn't notice, sat down in the doctor's usual chair at the head of the table.

"Um, it might not be a good idea for me to sit down right now, sir." Hera remarked, awkwardly, indicating her paint-stained clothes.

"Ah, Yes.. I see what you mean." Hera felt the color rising to her cheeks now he let his eyes wander over her overall covered in yellow smears, "I'm sorry to have torn you away from your other duties." He apologized but couldn't stop himself from grinning in a way that belied the sincerity of his apology.

"That's ok, sir. I turned out to be the world's worst painter anyway. I think there's more paint on me than on that wall, to be honest." Hera joked before realizing who she was talking to. He didn't seem to mind however and smiled in good humor.

"Well, I'm sure it can handle a bit of paint," He waved in the direction of the chair to his right. "Sit down."

She quickly took the seat appointed to her. When she had Taylor nodded to Malcolm on his left, "Bring me up to speed, Doctor."

Dr. Wallace needed no further encouragement and he passionately plunged into an explanation about his most recent and, according to himself, possibly the biggest discovery mankind had ever made. Even though Commander Taylor cocked an eyebrow at this, clearly questioning his judgment, he listened attentively for the good part of an half hour. Looking slightly confused and perhaps also a little bit sleepy Commander Taylor creased his brows in thought when Malcolm's seemingly endless flood of words ceased at last.

"Does that make sense?" Malcolm looked questioningly at the Commander, who seemed to have checked out of the conversation some time ago.

"Not at all, Doctor. But then that's why you're wearing the lab coat and I'm not." He admitted with blunt honesty.

Hera tried to hide her smile at this while Malcolm looked torn between looking insulted or amused.

"Why don't we have some coffee before we move on?" Commander Taylor suggested making the doctor go and get it for them with one of his intimidating but harmless stares. The moment he had left he leaned towards Hera and asked her;

"Was _all_ of that in English?"

She barely managed to contain her smile anymore. She knew out of experience it took a considerable time to get used to Malcolm's technobabble. The moment her lungs burst because of the straining effort not to laugh she hurriedly turned it into a cough halfway when Malcolm returned with three mugs on a tray. Looking very much like he wasn't enjoying his role as a waiter one bit he unceremoniously planted a mug in front of all three of them and then sat down again rather silently.

"Well, sir, from what I can make out based on the data Dr. Wallace has collected we can rule out the prow is originally from this time stream. It appears to have a similar molecular signature which means it traveled through a time fracture and ended up in the Badlands." Hera started, unraveling and arranging her thoughts on this incredible discovery still so new to her as she went along.

Commander Taylor nodded as his chin rested on his folded hands to indicate he was still with her and she quickly moved on, "Now, it being from a completely different era could indicate the fracture linking our earth with this one has been around for much longer than we anticipated, even though it's still safe to assume we're the first ones to make use of it as we did by creating hope plaza and the particle accelerator there."

She paused, drawing in a breath to slow down the pace in which she was speaking as it always seemed to speed up whenever the theories in her head were starting to run away with her. Commander Taylor's mouth quirked briefly, narrowing his eyes which sparked joyful little lights in apparent amusement as he had no doubt picked up on her enthusiasm. "But that's not the best part, sir."

"It isn't?" Commander Taylor immediately asked her, furrowing his brows as his lips curving into a warm smile now.

"No, sir." Hera responded trying to sound dutiful and not like she was enjoying, perhaps more than she should, this rare and precious moment in which she felt confident about what she was telling him.

Meanwhile, Malcolm wiggled impatiently in his chair now she had been repeating what he thought he had deftly explained not ten minutes ago, but she ignored him. "Scans also suggested this prow has aged at almost the exact same rate as it would have in our own dimension"

Hera hastily leaned across the table and grabbed the plexpad she was looking for. Showing Commander Taylor a graph with the relevant highlighted she continued; "Basically, if what Malcolm's saying is true-"

"It _is_ true!" Malcolm interjected indignantly though neither of them reacted.

"What are you saying? We might not have lost our connection to 2149?" Commander Taylor inquired earnestly, leaning forward in his seat, planting his elbows on the table.

"Yes, sir. That's exactly what I'm saying." Hera couldn't refrain from looking directly into his brightened eyes as she confirmed his speculations.

"And it's possible to reopen fracture to 2149 from this end?" The Commander probed, sounding somewhere between apprehensively relieved and a stark disbelief, at the same time sparking greedy and excited lights in Dr. Wallace's eyes with his words.

Hera nodded somewhat reluctantly now he referred to the part where the theory Malcolm had come up with was still kind of fuzzy, to say the least.

"Maybe." She settled on saying, feeling obliged to point out afterwards, "But by blowing up Hope Plaza we could've destroyed the fracture for good-"

"Yes." Malcolm broke in, impatient to move the conversation along and also undoubtedly wishing to take attention away from the fact that his hypothesis was far from being flawless. "I believe it might naturally reemerge again. Now we know it has already opened in the Badlands before, there's every chance it will revert back there now the terminal near the colony's been taken out. Commander," Suddenly serious, Malcolm clasped his hands together as if in a prayer and pressed them to his lips, throwing Commander Taylor an almost pleading look, "If there's even the slightest possibility the portal is still out there, linking our worlds together we need to know. We cannot afford not to go to the Badlands.."

"We will, Doctor. You've convinced me. You both have. And I want the two of you to join me on this mission. "

Nathaniel threw her one of his appreciative winks as he patted the scientist on the shoulder, instantly causing tears to gather in the corner of Malcolm's eyes either from sheer relief he'd successfully made his case and won or because of the overpowering impact of his support that almost had him slam into the desk.

Hera could hardly restrain a smile from breaking through her usual shyness as the Commander's words echoed pleasantly in her head; _they were going to the Badlands and he'd wanted her to come along with him_..

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Thanks for Reading & Let me know what you think! :=)


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Thanks again for the review, EFBT, appreciate the support! :D Y** es.. Ahem, well, maybe more than scientific enthusiasm I like to think of it as a classic case of artistic license, always did focus more on the 'fiction' part in science-fiction haha ;P and 'a whopper pickle' sounds about right for what they'll get themselves into once they head over to the Badlands! I'll actually explore the whole fracture thingy more in the third installment of this story (which I still have to write btw ;p) but it may or may not pop up in the Badlands too, you know the 'pop up without a lot of scientific explanations because I still have to figure this part out' kind of popping up ;)

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 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

 **CHAPTER 8**

 **Promise**

 **THE** warm morning sunrays touched her skin, biting it a little unhindered as they were by any clouds or shade. Hera rubbed her burning neck and looked up to the blazing sun and clear blue sky overhead. It was going to be a hot day. Mind wandering her fingers stirred through the sand. Palm up she let her hands plough through it until they were buried in the sand. Then, she lifted them up alternately, simply enjoying the fine sand grains seeping through and cascading like tiny waterfalls to the ground again.

"I found them!" A clear voice rang out and woke her from her daydreaming. Hera soon spotted the little girl running toward her across the unused vegetable plot. It was tucked away in a corner of the farmlands in the heart of the colony. Stopping in front of her, Zoe Shannon proudly showed her the assortments of buckets she had been after.

"Brilliant! Now we can make all sorts of houses." Hera told her with a smile. Together they had been working on making a miniature sand village, which up until now had consisted of some oddly shaped sandcastles and strange twig-people. With the buckets of all possible sizes they soon managed to add a considerable amount of cosy homes. Using their hands they traced roads winding all around the sand village. Finally, they both took a step back to admire their creation.

"Do you know what we need?" Hera asked Zoe who looked up at her expectantly, "A proper irrigation system."

Zoe blinked at her at this and frowned.

"Wait, I'll show you." Hera knelt down in the sand again and waited for Zoe to join her.

"Shovel, please." She demanded holding out her hand like a doctor to a nurse at the beginning of surgery. Zoe grinned and quickly played along. Soon they had dug several small rivers that would course canal like through the sand village. The last thing they needed was water. Grabbing a bucket each they started on their way to the fountain in the center of the farmlands.

Halfway back, and walking considerably slower because of the added weight, they were surprised by a huge flock of butterflies the size of sparrows. Their wings were every hue of the rainbow as if they had flown through it on their way here. Swarming closely around them, Hera could hear the fluttering of their paper thin wings. Zoe put down her bucket and jumped up and down with a joyful light in her hazel brown eyes. The butterflies, migrating from the north to the south stayed a moment longer, twirling around them like colorful petals the wind gently played with. Then they took off again leaving Zoe looking after them longingly until her bucket reminded her of the task ahead and their almost finished sand village.

Not much later Hera got to her feet again. She stepped back dusting off the sand that had gotten in the creases of her long flowy skirt and clapped her hands for the same purpose. This caused her necklace to rattle like a quaint instrument seeing it was made out of white fragile looking and elegant shells which contrasted sharply with a single rough-edged fang from a Carnotaurus dangling at the end. It had belonged to the vicious predator she and Lieutenant Washington had faced on Hera's first mission OTG. Briefly enfolding the sun-warmed fang with her hand she felt incredibly close to her lost leader. She would never forget about her, she thought longingly.

"Did you make it yourself?" Hera opened her eyes again which met Zoe's standing in front of her, bucket still in one hand.

"Yes. Together with a very good friend." She nodded while Zoe toyed with the fang. Suddenly her eyes grew big and Hera, following Zoe's gaze saw two figures approaching.

"Daddy!" The little girl exclaimed, dropping the bucket and running towards him like a human whirlwind. He laughed and picked her up, briefly the two of them swirling around as if they were a merry-go-around.

"We made a sand village! You have to see it! You have to!" She insisted and took him by the hand. Knowing when his daughter had made up her mind and was pretty much unstoppable Jim Shannon followed obediently. It wasn't until they were closer that Hera realized the other person following in their wake was Commander Taylor. Hera felt her heart skip a familiar beat. Instantly nervous she tucked her hair behind her ears and stood back while Zoe enthusiastically provided the both of them with a guided tour of their sand village.

"Wow. You guys did a great job. Looks like a nice place to live." Jim Shannon told them the moment Zoe at last had finished informing them of all the twig people's names and which houses they belonged to. Zoe seemed over the moon with his praise.

"Oh, and we had peaches too! We took them from farmer Collin's trees." She explained rubbing her belly as if she could still taste their delicious sweetness.

"-For which we were going to compensate Farmer Collins, um, later, sir." Hera's guilty conscious prompted her to add, suddenly but all too aware of the Commander's eyes resting on her. She reddened, not daring to look at him.

"I don't doubt you were." He replied amused with a deep burst of laughter which caused her stomach to somersault as if she had accidentally swallowed one of those beautiful butterflies. More to give her hands something to do now she suddenly felt so clumsy she started to collect all the buckets and shovels. She barely managed to mumble a thank you when Commander Taylor handed her the last one. Frustrated with herself for not being in more control of her fluttering heart Hera decided it was best to leave before she managed to make a complete fool of herself. If she hadn't done that already.

"I'm sure your dad wants to talk a bit more with the Commander." She said and quickly motioned to Zoe who grabbed her outstretched hand.

"Do you want to go check on how that dino of yours is doing?" She asked, knowing the answer full well.

"Boxer?" Zoe's look of sheer joy and expectation made all of them laugh.

"Dr. Wallace has fixed the transmitter, then?" The Commander inquired.

"Yes, sir. We can track him again. Seeing that his herd lives pretty close to the colony we can even get a visual from the observatory if we're lucky." Hera replied dutifully while Zoe pumped a fist in the air out of happiness.

"Does he still eat those pretty flowers?" The little girl asked after raising her finger as if she was in class. Despite her nerves Hera couldn't help grinning at her.

"Probably. And eating lots of fern too now, I'd imagine. I bet he's grown a lot since you last saw him. Must be nearly big enough for you to ride him now." She explained, lowering herself, already spotting Zoe's usual wish for a piggyback ride. She clambered deftly on her back and Hera straightened again.

"Wow! And he's definitely not the only one who's been eating a lot." She exclaimed with mock surprise, "You've got to stop eating all these ice-creams or one day you'll turn into a humongous _Zoe-saurus_.."

"Please tell me you like to eat plants more than people?" Jim Shannon played along with the joke causing his daughter to let out a convincing roar before giggling out loud.

"Is that the best roar you can do? Surely you can do better.." Commander Taylor remarked with that familiar and enticing twinkle in his eyes. Hera had to fight hard not to lose herself in those blue eyes and forced herself to look at her feet instead, bending her attention solely to Zoe's roaring efforts.

"That's better." The Commander nodded approvingly after a particularly loud grumble from Zoe who looked proudly at her father at this praise. Feeling it was time to go Hera nodded in acknowledgement to both men and turned around while Zoe faithfully waved them goodbye until they were indistinguishable shadows between the many scarecrows scattered across the sunny fields.

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He watched them go, Hera whose skirt danced around her ankles and her hair aflame with the sun while Zoe waved and roared all the way. _Youth and beauty disappearing beyond the horizon_. A poem long forgotten suddenly entered his head. Nathaniel abruptly tore his eyes away from them. _Since when did he do poetry_? He turned around, grateful for the fact that Shannon couldn't hear his thoughts and feel the sudden strings pulling at his heart.

"She's been great with Zoe. She'll miss her terribly. We all will.. You'd better bring her back." Jim Shannon entreated honestly after he had returned the twig figure Zoe had given him to his rightful home in the sand village.

"Don't worry. I intend to make sure that she will. We'll all be back before you know it." He assured him with certainty in his deep voice and trying not to look back over his shoulder.

They resumed their walk through the colony. Now that he was to leave for the Badlands, Nathaniel was adamant Shannon knew everything he needed to know to keep the colony running. And most of all to keep it safe. Nathaniel had learned to trust Shannon and he had every faith in him that he would be a good leader to the colony in his absence. That decision had been easy enough to make. What had been more difficult was leaving them all behind. _Again_. Part of him felt like he was abandoning them a second time, but in his heart he knew he had to lead the mission to the Badlands himself. There was too much at stake. A familiar face that haunted his dreams surfaced before his mind's eye, reminding him of his other duty. Now that he had failed to do so for so long, it was time he truly ended his son's madness..

"Well, we'd better have a look at security next. Sergeant Baker will be in charge, you can talk to him if you want it tightened should the situation require it." He told Shannon, pushing away any thought or memory linked to his only son though it increasingly felt he was waging a losing battle there.

"I hope that won't be necessary." Was his sheriff's optimistic reply.

"You and me both, Shannon." Nathaniel concurred and led the way to his office.

Two hours later they rose as one from their seats and shook each other's hand across the glass desk, the huge dinosaur skull that carried it their silent witness. "I'll do my utmost to protect the colony." Shannon pledged, grasping his hand in a tight grip. "I know you will." Nathaniel acknowledged his promise and met his eyes. "Best of luck, Commander."

"You too, Shannon." Letting go of his hand he nodded earnestly once and left. The moment he'd gone, Nathaniel sank back in his chair, rubbing his chin in thought. A high-pitched _bleep_ soon forced him to focus on the here and now again, instead of allowing his thoughts to dive down into the past as they were wont to do lately. He checked his watch, realizing he'd better be on his way if he wanted to be on time.

Nathaniel hesitated slightly, his hand reaching for the triangle-shaped bell in midair. This was one visit he wanted to make but which wouldn't be easy. Despite a lifetime of wandering in faraway places and knowing he might not return, saying goodbye was never something he was going to be good at. He made himself ring the bell, a series of chimes followed and he heard the footsteps of someone approaching.

"Punctual as ever." Deborah Tate greeted him warmly. She opened the door wider to let him in, a hospitable smile spreading across her still rather pale face even though she had at last conquered the Sincyllic fever that had plagued her for years.

"Evening, Commander." Skye welcomed him with that cheeky grin of hers when he entered their home. She got up from the couch she had sat crossed legged on leaving the plexpad she had been using. The tree of them sat down around the kitchen table, a sumptuous dinner already spread out on it. "I'm sorry you went to all this trouble. There was no need." He apologized sincerely, feeling guilty for the affluence of delicious food in front of him.

"Nonsense. Preparing a meal is the least I can do after having taken care of my daughter for all these years." Deborah squeezed his arm in heartfelt affection, tears glinting in the corner of her eyes.

"Besides, you need a proper meal. From tomorrow you'll be eating nothing but bugs for who knows how long." Skye added knowingly and pulled a face as if she could imagine the horrible taste of worms and beetles on her tongue. Deborah smiled weakly at this, rewarding Skye's effort to make her mother laugh now her emotions were threatening to get the better of her.

"Thank you. Both of you. I'll never forget this." Nathaniel admitted truthfully and felt even more grateful of their friendship than he had done before.

It was still muggy outside when he left even though the sun had set nearly two hours ago. He took off his jacket and hung it casually over his shoulder. Sauntering his way back he slightly tilted his head back and gazed at the hundreds of stars glinting overhead. In front of the gates he halted and stared at them in silence for a while. The square was deserted and dark now, how different it would be tomorrow. Nathaniel imagined the bustling of people swarming over it readying all the vehicles, packing some last belongings and kissing their loved ones goodbye. He felt the usual tense knot in his stomach that always accompanied him at the onset of important missions. Before he finally turned his back on the tall wooden frame he nodded at the gates as if answering to an unspoken promise; he _would_ return through them.

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Thanks for Reading & Let me know what you think! :=)


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

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 **CHAPTER 9**

 **Obstacles**

 **EMPTYING** another bottle of water Malcolm just hoped it would suffice to keep him from dehydrating. He wiped his forehead with a handkerchief feeling it didn't make much difference and wafted his shirt in an attempt to feel cooler. He detested the way his clothes stuck to his body. _Why did sweat have to have such adhesive qualities anyway_? Malcolm adjusted his position though the tree trunk he sat against still managed to hurt his back in several places at once.

Just when he closed his eyes for a moment to block out the dazzling sunrays a high buzzing sound invaded his ears. He swatted the mosquito he could have sworn had followed him around from the get go against his neck with cruel satisfaction. But not before he had felt the tell-tale pricking sensation that would dome him, once again, to endless hours of unbearable itching. Giving up on his powernap Malcolm got up and stretched his legs which already felt stiff an heavy even though they hadn't left the colony but five hours ago.

 _See_? A tiny voice inside him began for the umpteenth time. This is why he usually made sure other people went on road trips so he could stay in his air-conditioned lab with every possible convenience within his reach. All this cross-country driving made him feel like his intestines were shifting position with all that bumping and shaking. And he definitely wasn't looking forward to the whole camping thing either. He knew but all too well what kind of creatures roamed the jungle. Especially at night. _Maybe coming along had been a mistake_..

Well, technically it had been an order from the Commander of course. But he wondered whether he should have tried harder to convince him of his inability to deal with all this surviving in the wild. Perhaps he should talk to Commander Taylor and beg for a ride home. After all, they had only just started on their way.

His hopes of returning to his cool and mosquito free lab were soon dashed, however. Break time was over and everyone got into their vehicles again. When he tried to speak to the Commander, the man had simply shook his head the moment Malcolm had opened his mouth as if he had expected him to ask to be send back but wasn't going to hear of it, and had walked straight passed him without another word. Rather deflated after this, Malcolm returned to his warm and cramped rover and went back to wiping his forehead.

The first night he barely slept. Strange noises from the jungle around him kept him wide awake. That and the mosquitoes. He began to seriously suspect them they preyed on people that hated them the most on purpose. Just sucking your blood wasn't enough apparently.

The next day was pretty much the same as the one before had been. Long hours of driving, or being tossed about in his seat in the back in his case together with the luggage and crates stowed there so he could add several bruises to his 'why I should've stayed at home' list. Besides running into a herd of Ankylosaurus which were lazily grazing for ferns, nothing much happened.

The second night he was simply so exhausted that even the strange squeaks and shrill cries of the wildlife nor the buzzing and pricking of vindictive mosquitoes could prevent him from falling asleep. As a result he did feel slightly better in the morning. After his usual cup of coffee, a fair amount of which he'd insisted on taking along, he felt he could deal better with another day of driving.

After two more days Malcolm, though by no means feeling more comfortable being out and about in the wild, had gotten more used to the traveling. That night, checking his portable and pocket sized plexpad to go over the data on the figurehead once more, he even started to feel excited again about the prospect of finding the answers to the riddles it held. A sudden piercing buzz close to his ears almost made him lose his rediscovered zeal. But when he expertly swatted the teasing mosquito on his knee without looking up from his plexpad, he realized he wouldn't let some silly insect deprive him of the chance to become the world's most famous scientist. He switched off his plexpad and threw his jacket over his shoulders. Leaning back on his bag that doubled as a pillow, a proud grin spread across his face as he imagined the eternal fame and universal recognition bound to come his way.

* * *

The perfectly round moon above shone bright and cast everything and everyone around him in a pale and otherworldly light when Nathaniel started his usual round to check in with all the sentries before getting some shuteye himself. Up until now everything had gone pretty smooth. Apart from some flat tires, a wonky engine and that herd of harmless whatchamacallit-saurus, nothing much had happened to disrupt their slow but steady progress towards the Badlands.

Tonight didn't seem any different. When he had spoken to everyone on patrol or guard duty he headed for his own bunk. Well, it wasn't more than your usual army type bed; sand or rocks for a mattress, soft grass if you were lucky, a tac vest for a pillow and the night's air for a blanket. Still, he always enjoyed sleeping out in the open. It made him feel more one with nature, the forces it contained and the myriad of live it held. Apart from this, it also reminded him of those118 days he'd spent in the jungle on his own and made him feel grateful for having survived to found the colony which had grown so much since then.

Nathaniel made his way back, navigating through small campfires people gathered around to sleep. He could see Dr. Wallace still working on his plexpad, eyes fixed on the screen and his lips curled in a broad and slightly disturbing smile. Thankful he hadn't noticed him Nathaniel hastily walked on. He was glad Dr. Wallace had been silenced pretty easily. He had known beforehand the man didn't always take well to orders, and sure enough he had tried to wiggle himself out of coming along on the very first day. _No surprises there_. Fortunately, the Doctor seemed to have accepted his fate fairly quickly. Nathaniel supposed Sergeant Hallows also had had a fair share in this. The both of them had spent considerable time together these past few days to endlessly discuss inter-dimensional interference or some such ethereal matter and were usually talking so fast it was a miracle they could still understand what they were saying to one another.

Trying to ignore the unreasonable annoyance he felt when he pictured them getting along this well, Nathaniel laid himself down, his head resting on his surprisingly soft tac vest. He was well on his way to falling asleep when he noticed how quiet it was. The same realization had struck him earlier that day, but he had been unable to put his finger on it at the time. After a while the lack of rustling leaves, the patter of small reptiles chasing insects and the occasional growl of a dinosaur far away made him open his eyes again. He got up, did the same round again but came up empty-handed half an hour later. No-one had seen anything suspicious or unusual. Trusting his soldiers that they would notice if anything was wrong and would act accordingly, he forced himself to lie down again and close his eyes so a light slumber could at least pretend to be a good night's sleep to his brain.

Next day when they had stopped for their usual midday break, however, the silence was starting to grow heavy on him. There was something oppressing and unnerving about it. Looking around he could see others wearing the same disquieted expression on their faces. There was a tenseness even in the way some kept looking back over their shoulders or seemed to momentarily forget about the power bars or energy drinks in their hands. Deciding to act on his gut instinct telling him that something was off he called Sergeant Reilly to him. Leaving her in charge he took two men of his squad with him and together they set out to search for the source of his unrest.

They had been gone not twenty minutes when he heard a loud crunching sound as something was crushed underneath his boot. He looked down and understanding instantly dawned on him when he recognized the shattered eggshell. Signaling the others to proceed with caution he raised his blaster with one hand and pushed away the enormous green leaves in front of him with the other. The sight that met his eyes affirmed his suspicions. In a den the size of a small meteor crater there were dozens of brown speckled dinosaur eggs clustered in small groups and half buried in the sand; _Slashers_..

The three of them retreated to the rovers as fast and soundlessly as they could. Nathaniel ordered everyone to get ready to move on as quickly as possible, hoping against hope they wouldn't be heard. Not wanting panic to spread amongst the group he only told the two squad leaders, Sergeant Reilly and Sergeant Hallows what they had discovered. After this was done there was no need to stick around any longer. It was high time they left. He prayed they weren't too late already. Stepping in his rover that was bringing up the rear this time he carefully scanned the jungle around them but nothing moved or made a sound. It was still eerily quiet. Too quiet. And with it now came a feeling that they were not alone. They were being watched.

He spotted the first Slasher an hour's drive from their nesting grounds. It had been a short glimpse, but the malicious glint of its deep orange eyes spying on them from between leaves and the tip of its lethal tail blade disappearing behind the trees was enough to get him worried. And it wouldn't be alone seeing they hunted in packs. They obviously weren't going to give up stalking them. The others were keeping just enough distance though to successfully hide their true number. Nevertheless, when fifteen minutes later he had already counted over a dozen of them appearing and just as fast disappearing again in the dense growth of the jungle he had to admit to himself that they were dealing with an unusually large pack. Especially considering how well they seemed to know this terrain even though it was already miles away from the den where their eggs awaited hatching. _The bigger the territory_ , _the bigger the pack_ , he thought sourly.

Nathaniel was about to radio the other two rovers in front of him when it crackled as it lay in his hand.

"Commander Taylor?" It was Sergeant Hallows who had beat him to it.

"What's wrong Sergeant?" A worrying sensation settled in his chest; she had sounded troubled.

"There seems to be a vehicle up ahead. It's blocking the path, sir."

"Any activity?" He inquired.

"Negative, sir. Scans didn't pick up any life signs. Seems abandoned."

Dread spread through him at this when he thought he could provide the missing puzzle to this mystery. "Proceed with caution and stop at a safe distance. I'll come to have a closer look. Under no circumstances leave the rover. There are some very hungry Slashers around."

"Understood." She responded shortly, then, after a strained silence in which he could picture her hesitating whether or not to say what she was about to say anyway, added, "Permission to join you, sir?"

Nathaniel sighed, pondering a moment what to say to her now he seemed suddenly torn in two. Part of him appreciated her eagerness and the offer resulting from it, and in truth he _could_ actually use her uncommon knack for noticing minute details. There was no doubt she was a good shot, either. But the other part wanted to bluntly refuse just to have her stay inside the rover and the relative safety it provided.

"Sir?-"

"-Granted, Sergeant. Wait for me to join you." He finally decided and closed the channel before he would take his words back now something in him seemed to protest strongly. He would be right there to protect her, he reassured himself. Moreover, he shouldn't have allowed himself to be distracted. Being the leader meant he needed to be ready to make difficult decisions. There was absolutely no reason why he had grown incapable of doing exactly this all of a sudden.

He rapped on the door of the rover not long after without lowering his blaster. It opened instantly and Hallows came out with her weapon and handheld scanner at the ready.

"You can put the scanner away. Blaster is all you need for now." He instructed her calmly. When she had attached the scanner to her belt instead they carefully headed for the vehicle some ten meters further.

Nathaniel soon identified it as one of the rovers the Sixers had manage to steal from them over the years. All across it there were strange markings in paint; their usual tribal symbols. He doubted whether the red splatter that had mixed with them was paint too, though. There was definitely no mistaking the deep scratches on the doors. Even the roof had been partly ripped off like the lid of a can.

Gesturing Hallows to keep an eye out he slowly moved in for a closer look. The interior was, if possible, even worse off than the outside of the rover had been. And he barely recognized what had been its passengers; maimed and scavenged as they were by first the Acceraptors and every other possible predator after. He turned away from the gruesome sight when Hallows called him back.

"Sir." She pointed to the rover's tires which exhibited violent scars and deep cuts. There was no doubt in his mind they were caused by razor sharp tail blades.

"Looks like they're learning more every time. This clearly indicates they went for the tires to disable the rover. They deliberately deprived their prey of an escape." She reasoned with the same unsettling respect for their hunters as he felt at times. As much as he didn't want to end up on their plates, he had to give it to them; _these Slashers were smart_.

"Let's head back." He nodded towards her, knowing deep down they didn't have a choice but to stand and fight now.

* * *

Thanks for Reading & Let me know what you think! :=)


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait guys, I was away on a trip but now I'm back! ;)**

 **EFBT: Once again I thank you most humbly for leaving me a review! :D Yep, they're in a bit of a tight spot alright.. And yes, Malcolm is acting very much the annoyingly ambitious scientist, though I know you'd agree when I say that he definitely improves upon closer acquaintance! Seeing I was planning to give him a bigger role and develop his character more in the third installment of this story I figured I'd still get plenty of time later to do him justice ;p I was trying not to go too mushy with Zoe but cute little kids are just such useful and fun plot devices hehe And I could**

 **Fenrisulven13: Hi, and welcome back to the story ;) this is not so much a rewrite but a repost under a different penname. Thanks for the review and I hope you'll read on! :)**

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

 **CHAPTER 10**

 **Flames and Courage**

" **OKAY** , the plan is simple." Nathaniel started, pacing up and down in front of all three squads gathered before him on the clearing where they had taken up position. "We're going to use the one thing we know dinosaurs fear above anything." He reached out and picked a leaf from an obliging tree. Placing it on the palm of his hand he lighted it with his igniter. Flames danced in his hands, devouring the leaf till it crumpled and he crushed it in his fist.

"Fire." He said, releasing the black powder that was all that was left of the leaf, "I want the rovers in a circle in the center with Sergeant Hallows' squad protecting Doctor Wallace and, um.." He racked his brain for a moment but when no names surfaced went on, "-his _assistants_."

"Yes, sir." Sergeant Hallows accepted his order with a nod and a hint of amusement glinting in her eyes.

"Around them we'll dig trenches and fill it with dried leaves, dead wood, you name it, anything that can be missed and will burn, basically. Using some of our fuel, _sparingly_ ," He quickly added spotting Sergeant Reilly's greedy look and overexcited smile, "We should be able to create a good blazing that even Slashers won't like and hopefully will keep them away. I want my squad and yours, Sergeant," he indicated Reilly with a dip of his head in her direction, "to be close behind the trenches and set up a line of defense there should a Slasher attempt to jump over the fire. We know they're agile and tenacious little bastards, so we have to be ready for them in case they try something crazy."

"Understood, sir." Hands on her hips Sergeant Reilly gave him a reassuring look.

"Sir? Might I make a suggestion?" The politeness of that sentence alone told him it was Hallows who had spoken up. This could only mean she was about to give yet another unexpected twist to his strategy. He was beginning to rely on her for that, he realized with something uncomfortably close to fondness. Nathaniel turned towards her, gesturing with his hand in her direction to show that he was listening.

"We're surrounded by these bamboo type trees which are relatively easy to cut down, sir. Not only would they be ideal to serve as fuel for the fire," She walked around him and patted the trunk of a slender tree with long bright green leaves, "if we manage to cut them halfway and attach ropes we could also pull them down behind them the moment the Acceraptors attack. Seeing they're highly inflammable it's likely they'll catch fire pretty quickly. That would cause the raptors to potentially be trapped between two fires and-"

"We'd have ourselves some grilled Slasher for dinner." He finished her sentence with a nonchalant grin, "A second trap they won't find out about until it's too late. I like your thinking." He admitted but frowned when an afterthought had him worry slightly, "But wouldn't that add another risk of being closed in by fire ourselves?"

"Not necessarily, sir." She shook her head and continued, "If the trenches are deep enough it shouldn't be a problem for us. The clearing has nothing but sand, which won't burn. If we create another ring of sand around the bamboo trees we're using, we'd simply have to wait until everything inside has burned up."

"Makes sense." He granted, feeling more confident now that they stood a decent chance. But they would have to get ready quickly, the sun would set soon. Once dark he was certain the Slashers, which had kept their distance but were most definitely still around, would make their move. They always hunted under the cover of darkness, and their night vision was unrivaled.

"Right. You know what to do. We've got about an hour of light left, so let's get to work." His final order was met with affirmative nods and then everyone set off in a hurry. This was better going to work, Nathaniel thought warily as he purposefully planted his shovel in the ground.

* * *

The sky darkened and everywhere around them he could see movement in the thick undergrowth. Here and there a long tail would flick provocatively, much like a cat that was enjoying the prospect of toying with an easy prey. Nathaniel raised his hand, ready to give the order to set the trenches alight. But he held back a moment longer. Timing was of the essence. Either jumping the gun or reacting too late would mean failure. And they couldn't afford not to succeed. Luckily, he reveled in this game of waiting. Patiently he observed the skilled hunters and instinctively knew they were coming a moment before they attacked. Nathaniel forced his body to ignore its innate urge to flee and stood his ground. Loudly hissing and calling to each other with their grating cries to coordinate their attack the Slashers charged at them from all sides.

He waited for what seemed like an eternity but in reality it couldn't have been more than mere seconds, then he gave the signal. Within moments a wall of flames was born and encircled them. In no time it grew in size and heat, stopping the charging Acceraptors in their tracks. Without giving them a moment to change tactics he ordered the trees to be pulled down.

Climbing on one of the rovers Nathaniel could just see how those caught fire and another wall of flames closed the Acceraptors in from behind. Jumping off again he quickly took up his position while he could hear the dinosaurs' shrill cries of surprise and indignation. A few of them panicked and came crashing through the fire. Most got stuck in the trenches and Nathaniel and the others made short work of the ones that did make it through to the clearing. The roaring of the fire combined with the confused and enraged Slashers trapped on the other side made his hair stand on end. As much as he wanted all of them to survive, and was ready to do anything to achieve that goal, listening to the dying wails of the Acceraptors made a chill travel down his spine.

Just when things were starting to quiet down, he spotted a huge shadow from the corner of his eye leaping over the flames and into their midst. He wheeled around to take aim but it was too fast for him. Ramming headfirst into the soldiers around him the Slasher managed to surprise them and tossed a handful of them in the air. Nathaniel sprinted towards it, firing as he went. But the Slasher expertly evaded all of his shots. With a loud and furious cry it charged forward and leaped effortlessly on one of the rovers. For a moment it stood there, looking back at him with menacing eyes that reflected the flames around them and its yellow head crest gleaming in the glow of it.

Unable to move under its intimidating glare Nathaniel knew instantly this was the pack leader. And it seemed to realize the same thing about him. Growling maliciously the Slasher tossed its head back and jumped off, disappearing behind the circle of rovers..

* * *

Hera had herded Malcolm and his two colleagues right to the middle of the clearing where they stood huddled together like frightened sheep. Encircling them facing outwards was her squad, all four of them tense but shouldering their blasters to take out anything that came their way. They could hear the cries of Acceraptors and feel the warmth of the flames even from this distance. Suddenly shouts mingled with the cries and roaring of the fire.

Hera resolutely stepped forward in the direction it had come from. Without warning a large shape appeared out of nowhere and landed on the rover in front of her with a heavy thud which had its roof sagging with a groan under the weight of an enormous raptor. Realizing its overpowering size and sheer lust for blood she instantly knew it was capable of killing them all at once if they stuck together forming one solid target. Their only hope was in dispersing and hoping it wouldn't know whom to go after first. This could give them the time they needed to combine their firepower and take it down.

"Spread out! Spread out!" Hera shouted at the top of her lungs and ran back towards her squad. Although on the verge of opening fire they obeyed immediately. Hernandez and Scott each grabbed one of the scientists and ran for cover while Miller and Evans dragged Malcolm, who seemed frozen to the spot and unable to move on his own accord, along with them at the same time keeping their blasters trained on the Slasher. Turning around Hera was just in time to see it look over its shoulder and release an enraged cry. Then it faced its prey again and jumped. Her intentions to attract its malevolent attention solely on herself and draw it away from the others was doomed to fail when she heard Malcolm's cry of pain.

She whisked around and saw him lying on the ground grabbing his ankle. Evans was about to pick him up again but injured as he was Hera realized they weren't going to make it in time. She could hear the raptor's claws scratching on the rocks jutting out of the sand in his wild pursuit.

"Leave him! Go! Go!" She yelled at them and sprinted towards Malcolm.

"That's an order!" She roared angrily when she saw their understandable hesitation. Reluctantly they backed away towards the other rovers. With a sliding as if she was about to make a home run she reached Malcolm who was squirming with pain on the ground. She turned around and took aim in the same motion.

The Acceraptor whirled around and whipped its tail at them. Hera managed to duck just in time and it missed her head by inches. With a vicious look in its hungry eyes the Slasher covered the last meters with amazing speed. Fearing it wasn't going to be enough to stop it Hera pulled the trigger, hitting its legs. It tumbled over, taking both of them with it in its crashing fall to the ground which forced all the air out of her lungs. Hoping the snapping sound she had heard weren't her ribs breaking, _again_ , Hera gasped and fought to stay conscious now black spots danced in front of her eyes.

The Slasher tossed and turned trying to get up and wildly dug its claws in the ground making sand fly everywhere. With its tail he whipped around, enraged. Finally raising its head, its sharp teeth inches away from her face, it was ready to bite her head clean off.

She kicked it hard in its belly so it retreated for a split second, creating just enough space for her to drop her blaster and grab the knife strapped to her leg instead. With a last powerful push she thrust it deep into what she hoped was its heart. The Slasher shrieked and convulsed violently when with one last high-pitched cry it died. Its heavy weight pressed her down making it impossible to move. "Not just smart, smelly too, huh." She said through gritted teeth to the dead dinosaur on top of her when a penetrating stench reached her nostrils.

A grumbling moan and the feeling of an elbow sticking in her back let her know that Malcolm was still alive. With her last strength she pushed the raptor off them though it took a moment to untangle herself and the doctor from the lifeless predator. When she had finally untied the knot of limbs, claws and tail, Hera offered her hand to the doctor and pulled him up beside her. He looked pretty shaken up and grabbed her tightly by the arm, leaning on her to keep his balance now his ankle wouldn't support him.

"You saved my life..!" He stammered, eyes wide with grateful disbelief.

"You're welcome." She replied awkwardly and hoping he would let go off her soon.

"Thank you." He said and regarded her solemnly.

"Don't mention it." She answered him truthfully and winced now he was squeezing her arm so hard she could barely feel her fingers.

"I thought I was going to die.. D-Did you see that? I mean, its fangs were enormous! And the tail-" he whimpered as if the shock of what had happened had just started to sink in. "And you said we were safe in the middle. Well, we weren't, were we?!" he added in a horrified voice which sounded a lot higher than usual.

"Don't make me regret what I did, ok?" Hera warned him and threw him an annoyed look which seemed to snap him out of his panicked state.

"What? Oh- eh, yeah.." He muttered almost inaudibly.

"Um. Malcolm."

"Yes?"

"You can let go of me now."

"W-What? _Ah_. Sorry, I didn't realize.." He mumbled, looking embarrassed when he became aware of the fact that his hands were still gripping her arm like a vine. He let go immediately, trying not to look too ashamed about having clung on to her the entire time. Though everyone who had come rushing towards them had been far too busy making sure the raptor was dead and they had the situation under control to notice. Hera successfully dodged Scott trying to check if she was hurt and ordered her squad to assist the others at the trenches. If more of these determined raptors came through they could use all the help they could get.

"Thank you. I appreciate it." Malcolm eventually settled on saying and offered her his hand.

"And you should, Doctor." Commander Taylor's voice said from behind them when she shook it.

"Nice work, Sergeant." Commander Taylor seemed slightly out of breath and agitated though his face was very pale even in the orange glow of the fire. Before Hera could nod or say something he turned to Malcolm and threw him a strange look she couldn't quite identify. Suddenly wishing he hadn't seen him clinging on to her and possibly draw the wrong conclusion she opened her mouth to explain what exactly had happened but was interrupted.

"Nice job, indeed. Well, unless she was aiming for the Doctor all along and the Slasher just happened to get in the way, of course." Reilly remarked teasingly, lifting the raptor's head with her boot. Then she added, "Yours?" and casually pulled out the knife stuck in the Slasher's chest that came free with a disgusting sucking sound and something that looked like part of a vital organ still skewered on it. Malcolm turned around, face ashen and looking like he was going to be sick. Mumbling an apology he stalked off with a weird limp in the direction of the medic who came his way armed with bandages and med-sprays.

"Um, thanks." Hera accepted her knife back and tried to avoid looking at it too closely. Instead she looked up at the Commander whose earnest gaze made her blink and lower her head almost instantly. She sincerely hoped he didn't think she'd failed him and he was regretting his decision to appoint her as squad leader already. _But under the circumstances_ , _what could she have done differently_?

"I'm.. I'm sorry it got as far as this." He told her at last what was on his mind and nodded at the unmoving raptor at their feet. She looked up again in surprise at his apology but he turned around avoiding her and instead eyed the flames which still rose but couldn't reach beyond the trenches.

"Take some rest with your squad. You've done enough. Besides, there's nothing to do but wait now, and it might take a while for this fire to have consumed everything in its path.."

With that he was gone, followed by Sergeant Reilly who looked back over her shoulder in the same encouraging way Wash used to do. Hera returned it with a rather empty smile now she suddenly felt exhausted and strangely sad. Wrestling with the Acceraptor she must have overtaxed her strength, she concluded. Though she couldn't quite explain to herself why it made her feel this alone as she watched them walk away towards the flames.

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Thanks for Reading & Let me know what you think! :=)


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** **Glad you enjoyed the action there EFBT! :) There's definitely nothing more than friendship going on between Hera and Malcolm, but Nathaniel doesn't know this, now does he? Nothing like a healthy spike of jealousy to betray the extent of one's true feelings, hehe ;p Thanks for the review!**

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 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

 **CHAPTER 11**

 **Breadcrumb Trail**

 **SHADING** her eyes against the dazzlingly bright sun with one hand, Mira gazed out over the vast windswept wasteland stretching out before her. It was difficult to see clearly because of the heat haze that melted away the horizon. There truly was nothing but sand as far as the eye could see. Everywhere the ground was cracked because of long droughts and any scrubs that had been there had long since withered leaving it desolate and empty. It was a place in Terra Nova that deserved its name. And they were here at last. _The Badlands_.

It had taken them three long weeks to get here. But unlike Lucas Taylor she was satisfied with the delay. Relying on her to lead the way it had almost been too easy to take a wrong turn here and there. Taking them through Slasher territory had helped too of course. Relying on the most vicious and largest pack she had ever encountered to take out a few of her enemies had been a dangerous game to play, but having had to survive in the wild she knew when risks were worth taking. She had won that battle without Lucas knowing he had lost it. The rover sacrificed to the Slashers had belonged to the last of the Phoenix group. The last men that had still been loyal to Lucas. He had been aggravated at their loss, of course, but not suspicious of her hand in it. Not yet.

Mira turned back to the lush world behind her. Standing here on the edge of a jungle so green and teeming with life the dry landscape that was their destiny was like an utter void in comparison. It had been a hard life, always on the move, struggling to survive and the wilderness around them never showing any mercy whether it took or gave life. One last time she looked deeply into the world she was about to leave behind. Nature ruled supreme there and did not deal in compromises. In this it was like her. And without mercy also, she would get what she wanted.

One by one the others appeared. It was time to move on. It was going to be a long and hot ride through a world so different from the one she had gotten used to. A vast nothingness dominated by two powers alone; the dry heat of the sun mercilessly beating down during the day, or the bleak moon offering no warmth in the bitter cold nights.

Watching everyone ready the two rovers they still had Mira stayed back. With an almost unnoticeable nod she gestured to Carter. He understood without a word having passed between them. With the air of someone sauntering about purposelessly, bored even but above all apprehensive of the coming journey through the desert, he approached Lucas. When he had successfully engaged him in conversation, pointing something out about the crates tied on the roof of the rover, Mira knelt down and opened her hand.

In her palm lay one precious piece of a collection of her most prized possessions. A dog tag stolen from one of Taylor's soldiers. She had personally collected a fair amount over the years, trophies to hang on her wall to remind those who doubted it of her strength. Mira switched it on and then dropped it casually on the barren earth before she stood and walked away without looking back once. It reflected the sun overhead, a momentary flash of light as if it was a strange diamond lost in a sea of sand.

* * *

"I thought I was giving the orders around here. Or does a Sergeant suddenly rank higher than I'm aware of?"

"It's nothing to do with military ranking, sir. Good old chivalry, ladies first and all that?"

Nathaniel's mouth quirked as he threw Sergeant Reilly an amused look. They were about to leave the clearing now they'd completed a makeshift bridge over the trenches filled with ash and blackened Slasher cadavers from which smoke still curled up at the sky. She had suggested taking point on her motorbike, no doubt in an effort to make sure he wasn't a prime target for any remaining danger out there. That combined with the fact she must have noticed he'd been unusually absentminded these days. Although touched by her concern and loyalty her suggestion mainly served as a reminder that he had to try harder to conceal his inward struggle. He couldn't allow himself to have his worries revolving around Lucas dominate his thoughts when those needed to be in the here and now. Though, he had to admit to himself, other thoughts we're plaguing him too, feeding his growing unease. And those had definitely nothing to do with his only son.

Nathaniel was on the verge of giving in to Sergeant Reilly when the Rhino's advanced scanners beeped in alert. He leaned forward and soon found a tiny dot on the screen that definitely hadn't been there before. "Is that a glitch or..?" He thought out loud and shot Dunham in the driver's seat a questioning look. Sergeant Reilly popped her head into the Rhino to get a better look while Corporal Dunham checked the scanner, his hands flying over the screen to change the settings.

"Not sure, Commander. Nothing wrong with the system. From what I can tell it seems to be a genuine distress signal, sir."

"Sergeant, check your rover and see if it pops up on your scanner too. Let Sergeant Hallows do the same. I want to know what this is before moving on." He ordered her calmly yet with his eyes still fixed on that one unmoving dot as if he could unravel its sudden appearance by simply staring it down.

"Understood, sir." Reilly said and was on her way instantly.

Not five minutes later she was back. He looked at her expectantly which she answered with a curt affirming nod.

"It's a distress signal, sir. Sergeant Hallows concurs, the systems aren't ghosting and it's too constant to be an anomaly. Well, that's what she said, I think." Sergeant Reilly explained with a slightly befuddled look in her eyes now she tried to remember if those had been Hallows' exact words. Nathaniel no longer felt any doubt. It was clear what they had to do. What _he_ had to do.

"Let's take a look. I'll go first with the rhino." His stern voice was enough to convince Sergeant Reilly he would brook no opposition whether he was being unchivalrous or not.

It took them several hours to reach the location indicated on the scanner. But there was no one there. Nathaniel got out of the rhino with his blaster at the ready. Together with his squad he fanned out but still didn't find anything. He triple check his handheld scanner according to which they we're right on top of the distress signal.

"Smells like a trap, sir." Corporal Dunham voiced his concern, echoing his own thoughts when they returned to the others.

"I agree, Corporal. But set by whom? And why?" He lowered the blaster in his hands and eyed his surroundings with suspicion. Eventually, Nathaniel let his breath out, resigned. "Maybe it was a malfunction after all-" He stopped short when he spotted movement. He instinctively raised his weapon again and tracked its target. Zooming in through the blaster's visor he spotted an object dangling from a tree it had been stuck to with a small but ornate dagger. Carefully but curiously Nathaniel went to retrieve it. From up close he recognized the dog tog at once and released it with one strong tug. _What on earth_..?

He had them make up camp not too far away but at a reasonable distance from the place he'd found the dog tag. Still clutching it in his hand he made his way to Hera who stood next to her squad's rover, talking to Dr. Wallace for a change. Nathaniel disregarded a surge of envy and handed the dog tag to her without a word. She threw him a puzzled look and turned it around in her hands a couple of times.

"Turns out this was what our distress signal was coming from." He informed her and waved a hand at the dog tag.

"Ah!" She replied in surprise, understanding dawning on her. Hera immediately brought the tag closer to her face for a better look. "Yes, I can see why.." She mumbled after a thorough inspection and nodded to herself when no doubt a theory shaping itself in her head seemed to be confirmed. All Nathaniel could see was the metallic and key shaped tag in her hands.

"Locator's switched on and tweaked to make it appear as a distress signal." She clarified and pointed at the main chip on which an abysmally small red light fitfully flashed now and then. "It's like someone's been _futzing_ around with it.. It's a word." She added, intuitively understanding his furrowed brow and returning his smile. At this Dr. Wallace looked over her shoulder, scrutinizing the dog tag as if it at last had managed to capture his attention and forcing Hera to hurriedly focus on the dog tag in her hands again.

"Someone's hacked into it, sir. Added some data by the looks of it.. Here, the memory card is scratched. Must've been removed in the process at one point."

"Can you get to this new data?" He asked her, his interested piqued.

"I think so. Hold on. Almost.." She said, drawing out the last word and squeezing her eyes in concentration. A moment later a holographic image suddenly appeared, floating in mid-air before them. It was a map. What was more, it showed a route steadily running south where it abruptly stopped. Judging by the coordinates it couldn't be more than a day's drive away.

"Why add this route that's not going anywhere in particular?" He wondered out loud and examined the holographic image trying to find a hidden clue that would shed some light on the whole confusing business.

"What if we're only seeing a part of the entire route, sir?" Hera suggested with a shrug.

"In that case we know where to find the next part.." He admitted, tapping his finger on his chin deep in thought. It was a trail left for them to find. Question was; _were they going to follow it_?

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	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

 **CHAPTER 12**

 **Opposites**

 **MALCOLM** started to shake his head in utter disbelief when he noticed the increasingly determined look in the Commander's eyes. He knew that look. It was when he was about to make a decision without listening to anyone else's point of view first.

"You're not seriously thinking what I think you're thinking?" He spat in Commander Taylor's direction.

"And what exactly is it I'm supposed to be thinking?" Was his annoyed response.

"You're not _actually_ considering taking this route, are you?" Malcolm said sneeringly, confronting the man in front of him. Commander Taylor narrowed his eyes but remained icily cold, for now. "What? It's a follow the dog tag hunt now?" Malcolm exclaimed indignantly. A flicker of anger shone through the Commander's eyes at this. "If I feel we have to go after the tags, then we will." He replied strainedly.

Here we go, Malcolm thought. Here was that sheer audacity again to believe the means always justified the end. No matter the risks to others. Just like the time he had seen fit to interrogate Robert Stanley without a second thought when, lacking a shred of evidence, he'd simply made up his mind about him being the Sixer spy he was looking for. Now they were about to spring the obvious trap by the Sixers so they could get themselves killed. All because one man needed to show his authority. How perfectly Machiavellian yet again.

"Isn't this supposed to be a scientific mission first? We need to find that portal so _we_ can do _our_ jobs for a change," He indicated himself and Hera, momentarily glossing over the fact that she technically no longer was a scientist in his department, which only seemed to infuriate the Commander more, "and yet it is military led, as usual. Well, excuse me for not being all gung-ho about this little detour but apparently I'm the only one who cares that there are so many potential risks involved!"

"Malcolm, calm down for a sec, would you-" Hera tried to force him back, away from Commander Taylor. But Malcolm was not having it. He walked around her to face the Commander. If there was no one else who was going to question Taylor's leadership, he had to.

"We're OTG right now in case you've forgotten," Hera began in an attempt to appease him, "We're far from the colony with not only the wildlife but very likely also the Sixers to cope with, who are heading for the same thing as we are. Scientific mission or not, _that_ 's life in Terra Nova. We _need_ a military leader."

Malcolm sniggered and irritably waved a hand at her, "What we _needed_ was a military leader who should have been there when the colony was overrun and occupied by the Sixers and the Phoenix Group because he left us virtually defenseless!" He finished vehemently.

"I know this is hard for you to accept, Doctor, but seeing I'm in charge you'll do what I say. Whether you like it or not." Commander Taylor warned him in a low voice that reminded Malcolm of rumbling thunder preceding lightning.

"Funny, I don't recall _electing_ you as our leader. But then again, that would be too close to a democracy and that's simply not how you do things around here, is it?" Malcolm protested in a loud voice now he grew increasingly frustrated.

Commander Taylor crossed his arms in front of his chest, possibly to stop himself from giving in to the temptation to punch his opponent. Malcolm refused to feel threatened and went on, "And I certainly can't remember signing up for this ludicrous spectacle of despotic autocracy-"

Malcolm nearly gagged when the Commander roughly grabbed him by his collar. "This is _not_ the time to discuss politics." He said through gritted teeth and with barely controlled anger.

"When _is_ a good time, Commander?" Malcolm snapped back. Then he felt Hera behind him pulling him out of Taylor's grip. The Commander let go of him reluctantly, his eyes still boring into Malcolm's. "You're sailing dangerously close to the wind here, Doctor." He told him, his tone resentful.

"Good. Someone should." Malcolm replied with the same unconcealed distrust and loathing, walking straight past him in a blind rush of anger.

* * *

"Malcolm! Wait!" Hera called after him in vain. Deaf to her despairing plea he'd already disappeared round their rover. For a moment she stood motionless and stared at the ground in defeat. She turned around at Commander Taylor's audible sigh. He'd put his hands behind his head in frustration and gazed at the sky without seeming to take anything in. Not knowing what to say but feeling she needed to dissipate the heavy silence that hung in the air she groped around in her mind for the right words.

"I'm sorry, sir, I-" She began rather clumsily but Taylor dropped his arms again and shook his head.

"Not your apology to make, Sergeant." He assured her somewhat gruffly and with his hands defiantly resting on his hips.

"Even so, I'll try and talk to Dr. Wallace. Make him see reason." Hera offered helpfully.

"You do that. _I_ never managed to, but _you_ might." He answered her, sounding caught somewhere between frustration and gratitude. For a moment he looked at her intently then briefly shook his head again as if shaking off an annoying thought and made to go when he suddenly seemed to remember something. "I'll have that back, then, if you don't mind. Dunham will need it to plot a course." He pointed out practically and reached out a hand towards her.

It took a few seconds for Hera to realize he was talking about the dog tag she was still holding on to. The argument between Malcolm and the Commander had made her forget all about it. "Y-yes, of course. Sir." She stammered and quickly handed him the dog tag.

"I appreciate your help with this, Sergeant." He said and for a moment looked torn between saying something else or leaving her without another word.

"Sir? Anything else I can help you with?" She asked him humbly, a sudden longing for him to confide his thoughts to her tightening her throat. But Commander Taylor determinedly shook his head, "No. There's nothing, Sergeant. We leave in five." He said, resolved. Hera managed to nod weakly at this before he left her with a knot in her stomach that hadn't been there before.

She was relieved when, not much later, Malcolm climbed back into the rover without protesting once she had found him. He had been pacing to and fro between their rover and the next because, quite frankly, there hadn't been anywhere else for him to go. Although Malcolm still seemed to be fuming inwardly, he didn't resume the discussion. Nor seemed inclined to do so anytime soon. Instead, he stubbornly leaned back in his seat and simply scowled at anyone daring to talk to him for the rest of the day.

When dusk had set in they were coming up on the coordinates they had found on the dog tag. Eying Malcolm carefully through the rear view mirror Hera figured it would be best if he stayed inside the rover. Although she could see both sides of the argument, remembering the altercation earlier she was adamant to avoid a similar confrontation between the Commander and Malcolm. Now really wasn't the time.

"Scott, you're with me." Hera said, getting out of the rover when they had reached their destination not much later. On the pretext of grabbing her scanner she added in a whisper to Miller who was behind the wheel, "Keep an eye on the Doctor. Make sure he doesn't go anywhere." A look of understanding passed between them and then Hera took off with Scott in her wake.

After joining Commander Taylor and Dunham they spread out in search of the next piece of the puzzle. With the help of her scanner it didn't take Hera long to locate it at the bottom of a tree this time. She pulled it out from between the roots and wiped it clean of mud with her sleeve. As had been the case with the first dog tag they'd found, new data had been uploaded to it. Meeting up with the others she managed to switch on the hologram on it. It was again a map and with new directions this time. The route was still steadily going south, the direction they were heading to anyway, though it did deviate from their own proposed route.

"What do you think, sir?" Dunham asked Commander Taylor the question they had all been thinking, eying the dog tag with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.

"What if we get lost following this?" Scott remarked, raising her eyebrows in doubt. Hera shook her head at this.

"Whoever left these for us to find, I don't think they meant to lead us astray. In fact, it could well be a shortcut to the Badlands." She argued and looked up at the Commander. He stared at the map in mid-air and seemed absorbed in thought, weighing their arguments and struggling with his own. "I'd say we keep following this trail, for now at least." He decided at last.

"And if it _does_ suddenly try to lead us in the opposite direction? Away from the Badlands?" Hera pointed out, timidly going back on her own conviction, not wanting to steer the Commander in any direction though she was sure in the end he would follow none but his own. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there." Was his diplomatic if not enigmatic reply.

In the days that followed they faithfully stuck to the trail the dog tags provided them with. They made steady progress mainly due to the fact that this part of the jungle seemed less treacherous, if that was even possible in a wilderness like Terra Nova. Somehow the terrain was more easy going for the rovers and rhino so they could cover more distance in less time. There were also less predators around, or they didn't bother them as much at the very least. Seeing the heretofore unknown short cut kept leading them in the right direction there was no need for Commander Taylor to review his decision.

On the fifth day since finding the first dog tag Hera was taken surprise when, rather unexpectedly, their rover which was driving in front suddenly burst out of the vegetation and into a deserted wasteland. Instinctively Miller slowed down and stopped the rover in order to, like the others, take in their new environment with eyes wide open and jaws dropped. They had made it. To the empty, barren and yet strangely beautiful desert in the midst of a green and fertile world; the Badlands.

Leaning out of the window, Hera gazed across the vast landscape, shivering slightly at the inexplicably ominous feeling it gave her and couldn't help but think; _Beyond this point there be dragons…_

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	13. Chapter 13

**A/N:** **I can only think of one reason for Mira to want to lure Taylor closer, he may come in handy once she wants to get rid of a certain problem starting with an L- and ending in –ucas… ;p And yes, Malcolm was all fired up wasn't he? I want him to present a bit of a counterweight against Nathaniel, but I'll explore that more in the third installment, well, that's the plan at least ;) I'm glad the story's keeping you intrigued & thanks for your review EFBT! :D**

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 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

 **CHAPTER 13**

 **The Badlands**

 **AS** unwelcoming as the prospect of entering the Badlands was, tarrying on the edge of it though knowing they'd eventually have to leave the jungle behind was infinitely worse. But they couldn't move on. Not yet. Nathaniel was sure there had to be another dog tag around here. Although disliking with every fiber of his being the fact he was depending on a mysterious trail set out by someone he couldn't see, instead of relying on his own skills, he was reluctant to let it go cold. If the tags had indeed been left by the Sixers, and who else could it have been, then whatever the motive he could feel they were closing in on them. No matter what they had planned for them, he was confident the Sixers would be worse off once they _did_ catch up.

Impatiently, Nathaniel doubled backed and started walking in a different direction this time. All around him the others, eyes searchingly scanning the ground and walking slowly, were seemingly doing the same imitation of a bunch of hungry and not too smart pigeons looking for food in a place where there obviously was none. It was scorching hot too. Which didn't make searching for the dog tag any easier. Wondering how much longer he could have them search without risk of sunstrokes or dehydration there was a flash of light to his left.

Taking off his sunglasses, Nathaniel knelt down and scanned the cracked and sunbaked earth until he spotted the sun reflecting metallic in his eyes. _There_. Dusting off the dog tag he stood, a strange sense of foreboding and longing welling up inside him. Even though he hardly ever allowed his thoughts to wander to the past, he couldn't help but be reminded of the time when he would set out trails for his soon to follow. On those rare occasions he had been home, they had gone on countless treasure hunts. That smile on Lucas' face when he'd finally found it.. Nathaniel winced as the young boy's face, _his_ young boy's face, grew distorted and was replaced by a man robbed of his youthful look and with those dreadful haunted eyes. _How could they be the same person_? _How could he have let this happen_?

Growing restless with himself and the questions that had pestered him for so long now, he put on his sunglasses again and headed back towards the others. If he was right in thinking it was Lucas who'd left the dog tags behind, and part of him strangely hoped it was, he wasn't so gullible to believe for a second this meant he'd changed for the better. No matter how much in his heart he wished for his son to return to his side, he had to start realizing that bridge had been burned a long time ago. No, all of this would be to lure his old man into a trap. But he'd be ready for it this time. He would set things right. _And once he did, he wouldn't need to ask himself those damn questions ever again_.

After returning to the rhino, Nathaniel told Dunham he would drive himself and gestured for him to take the shotgun seat in his stead. He knew he would need the distraction. This way he needed to focus on navigating through the outstretched desert in front of him, a sure way to prevent his thoughts from going astray. He waited for everyone to strap in and started the engine with a roar that never failed to be pleasing to his ears. He might even enjoy this, Nathaniel thought. After all, it had been a while since he had driven a rhino. Maybe he could even take the motorbike for a spin tomorrow, to reawaken his old self, feel strong and confident again. Grabbing the wheel firmly in his hands he banned that thought to join all the others he tried to ignore and took off.

The sun was setting, a beautiful red and fiery orb sinking beyond the horizon, when Nathaniel reluctantly halted. They would need the last light to set up their camp. Still sweaty and feeling sunbaked from head to toe it appeared silly to prepare fires with wood they had collected in the jungle earlier. Also, no one in their right mind was thinking of crawling into one of the downy and overly fluffy sleeping bags they had taken out of the rovers. But they would definitely need them once the sun was gone.

Nathaniel set out sentries and walked around their desert caravan; a strange and out of place assortment of vehicles, people who were walking around like ants in an anthill and small fires under mismatched awnings of all possible sizes. He had to smile to himself, picturing themselves as an usual traveling circus in his mind.

His mirth was short-lived, however, and his smile faded quickly when he took in their vast and open surroundings. Being this exposed made him feel ill at ease and part of him wished to be back in the jungle they'd left behind, despite the dangers it held. It was where he felt at home the most. Still, even though this was new terrain, even for him, the maps clearly indicated there were sand dunes and possibly even oases up ahead.

First night they experienced just how cold it actually got out here. Nathaniel stayed up on watch most of the night, only succumbing to sleep for two or three hours. When he woke again, he felt the first rays of the sun warming his body which had gone almost numb because of the bitter chill that had set into his bones. He rubbed his hands in an attempt to get the feeling back in his fingers. Looking up, the sky already grew lighter, the myriad of stars he had at gazed at in overwhelming wonder long gone.

Determined to set out so they would reach the dunes before it got too hot, Nathaniel soon stepped on his motorbike and led the way towards the orange glow of the rising sun. After four hours in which the temperature had risen steadily they took a short break, mostly to drink and check the vehicles' condition. For now the rovers and rhino seemed to be cooping well with the sand and heat. His own motorbike had dealt with worse terrain, he remembered fondly.

After two more hours, Nathaniel spotted the first dunes, not much bigger than molehills from this distance, but he imagined their real size would be much more impressive. An hour later, when they finally reached the edge of the wasteland, the sand dunes rose up before him like mountains of sand. On one side they were smooth and shadowed, on the other the wind had created ripples that zigzagged across it like snakes. Checking his course he soon found the path he was looking for, winding its way between the dunes and disappearing between them further ahead.

They had gone no more than a mile or two when he saw something move, that shouldn't be able to, in the side mirror. At first thinking that the intense heat must have gotten to him and he was hallucinating as a result of a sunstroke, he blinked. It was no good. Unless his eyes were truly mistaken, one of the sand dunes they'd just passed was _moving_..

Nathaniel raised his hand and stopped. He turned around on his motorbike and got his binoculars from a pocket on his tac vest. He could see Sergeant Reilly, Corporal Dunham and others lean out of their respective vehicles, looking around inquisitively and no doubt wondering why they had stopped all of a sudden. He ignored them and zoomed in on the sand dune to the left. It was still moving. There was simply no other way to describe it. He squinted his eyes, making sure it wasn't a trick of the heat haze or sunlight reflecting on the sand. Just then the dune seemed to rise in the air, inflate like a balloon. Instinct told him to grab his gun but he stopped himself, hand on the holster strapped around his chest. In the next instant, sand came cascading down and an unsettling feeling came over him when he thought he recognized spikes and two enormous yellow orbs divided by thin black splits for pupils.

"Drive!" He shouted and felt the ground underneath him shake as the gigantic dinosaur got to its feet. With a roar that could shatter eardrums he stormed at them, each step of his massive feet causing minor earthquakes that made everything shudder. Even though they all sped away with screeching tires it caught up with the last rover in no time at all. A split second later it already ran next to it. Without allowing it time to evade the monstrous dinosaur rammed into the rover. The sheer force of the impact made it topple over and with a resounding crash it came to a standstill, lying upside down with its wheels spinning.

Nathaniel spun his motorbike around, sped passed the rhino, then motioned the rover behind it to follow him. "I'm going to distract it! Get Reilly's squad when you have the chance!" He shouted into his earpiece, barely having the time to receive Sergeant Hallows' focused 'Yes, sir!' now he came upon the colossal predator. However much tempted to go for the rhino's thicker armor and gun power, he needed the agility of the smaller rover to pull this off. The dinosaur raised a claw and slashed the defeated rover at his feet, leaving deep gashes. It was like a crippled prey, and had it been made out of flesh and blood, he was sure its blood and innards would be mingling with the sand by now.

When he was close enough he aimed his gun and fired, more to distract than to wound the ferocious creature. It tossed its head in annoyance. From up close Nathaniel saw the massive spikes that ran from its neck all the way down to the tip of its thick and heavy looking tail. It had a long beak like that of a crocodile, including rows of saw-like teeth which would make the former very jealous indeed.

He swerved to the right to avoid a swipe from its spiked tail, then started to drive around him in circles, sand flying everywhere. At first it seemed unimpressed but, agitated as it was, it soon bared its impressive fangs at him. Next moment he tried to slash out at the motorbike. Nathaniel barely managed to duck it. This was it, he thought intuitively and swiveled around to keep its attention solely on him.

Luckily Hera had seized the opportunity, probably the only one they were going to get, to rescue everyone stuck in the downed rover. Without hesitation she, Evans and Scott pulled Sergeant Reilly and the others into their own once all of them had crawled out cautiously but driven by that powerful instinct to survive. Not a moment too soon. Bored with trying to squat the annoying little fly the grumpy dinosaur gave up on the chase and turned towards his prey again. With another reverberating roar it planted its hind leg on the rover's belly, then tore one of its tires off with a powerful tug of his ravenous beak.

Nathaniel drove around it one last time, keeping more of a distance this time. Then, before the dinosaur would realize how much tastier they were compared to the vehicle he was chewing on, he set off after the rover. When he had joined the others they hightailed it as fast they could. Just before it would disappear behind the sand dunes, Nathaniel threw a final look in his side mirror. Victorious and with an almost majestic look about him the huge dinosaur roared once more, then buried its beak in the rover gripped by his claw. There was no doubt in Nathaniel's mind that they just narrowly escaped that which truly reigned this forsaken world.

Thanks for Reading & Let me know what you think! :=)


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

 **CHAPTER 14**

 **Betrayal**

 **IF** the rover had been cramped before it could still have been considered spacious compared to how packed it was now with the two extra passengers from Sergeant Reilly's squad. Losing the other rover and all of the equipment in it to that gigantic dinosaur had been quite a loss. Nevertheless, all of them realized they should thank their lucky stars that everyone had escaped with only a few cuts and bruises here and there. Materials could be replaced. Lives definitely couldn't.

What was more, despite legitimate reasons to complain, he had to sit even more squashed in the back of the rover than before, Malcolm seemed to take it all with the patience of a saint. He had seemingly gotten over his frustration with the Commander as well. For now at least. His brooding scowl had disappeared, and not just because the sight of the terrifyingly huge dinosaur chewing on the rover had wiped if off his face in exchange for a look of utter horror.

Maybe the extreme environment of the Badlands had actually had a positive effect in this respect, for Taylor too had momentarily buried the hatchet. Apparently surviving came before defending ones principles. Though knowing it was an idle hope, Hera couldn't help but be relieved that the storm had abated for the moment. The fact that she could understand both sides of the argument had made her feel torn between friendship, loyalty and another even more confusing emotion she'd hastily tried to bury deeper in her heart for fear it might come out.

"So, you're telling me that was a dinosaur you _didn't_ know existed? I didn't think I'd live to see the day.." Reilly remarked teasingly as she warmed her hands above the campfire around which Malcolm and Hera and her squad were gathered. The Doctor snorted somewhat indignantly before answering her, "First of all, I didn't exactly say I knew every single dinosaur out there-"

"You _don't_?" Evans broke in with mock surprise.

" _Probably_ not, no." Malcolm emphasized the word with lofty annoyance and continued, "I _am_ sure, though, that Mr. Gigantosaurus here never lived in our time stream. With a dinosaur this size we would have come across a fossil at some point, but we definitely _didn't_."

"Well, we all know Terra Nova likes to throw us a curveball now and then." Scott put in throwing a sensible look at Hernandez who nodded in silent understanding and grinned in his usual enigmatic way.

"Well, yes.." Malcolm replied rather icily as if he was allergic to anyone daring to state the obvious, "Still, this discovery could help us prove just how different this dimension is from ours. I mean, new plants and rocks are easy enough to find. But a dinosaur this huge.. If we could just get a blood sample.." He said with a hungry look in his eyes.

"Um, Doctor. Hate to burst your bubble there, but uh, he didn't look too cooperative to me. And I got a pretty close look, so I think I know." Reilly pointed out with slightly furrowed brows.

"Yes.." Malcolm mumbled pensively, not seeming to hear her warning now his mind was busy imagining ways to claim this new species as his own. Together with the others Reilly shook her head in amused disbelief.

"I sure hope those dog tags are leading us somewhere. I'd hate for us to be stranded here.." Miller admitted honestly after a brief silence. She heaved a sigh, casting a wary look at their deserted surroundings.

"Yeah. Same here." Evans agreed heartily, failing to repress a big yawn afterwards. Taking this as her cue to interrupt their easygoing chatter Hera looked away from the flames and to her squad instead. "About time for bed, kids. Get some sleep everyone. We've got sentry duty in the morning so I expect you back bright and early, mind." She told them and patted Evans next to her on his back when he let out another long-stretched yawn. Her order was met with a general affirmative murmur and everyone rose.

Watching them go in search of their sleeping bags in one of the many tents strewn across the sand she felt strangely left behind. Although part of the same team, it was brought home to her once again how her role within it had changed. In her head she knew she was trying to take Wash's place, slowly understanding that you had to distance yourself a little if you were to lead. Her heart, however, still sensed nothing but that painful vacuum where Wash had always been. And she wanted nothing more than her being here so she could follow the others to the tents.

Hera let her eyes wander back to the where they'd been staring at for most of the evening, at the same time rebuking herself inwardly that it was probably better not to think that way. Nor mull it over in her mind quite that much. But maybe such thoughtfulness came with the place. It's desolate emptiness and outstretched vastness offering a mirror to reflect one's inner most thoughts whether you wanted to or not. Somehow she had a feeling she wasn't the only who had found that out the hard way.

It was hardly a reason for complaint, though. Their third day in the badlands was already closing to an end and apart from themselves there hadn't been any sign of life for miles around. They had also left the dunes behind yesterday and now travelled through an outstretched plain of nothingness again. Considering this also meant a welcome lack of roving giant dinosaurs with bad attitudes that wanted to eat them whole this wasn't necessarily a bad thing. The one down side though, was that it made all of them feel rather alone and forlorn. Hera just hoped that Miller's wish would be granted and they wouldn't be lost forever in this barren world. She wasn't sure she could bear it that much longer.

"You're awfully silent tonight, Sergeant." With what must have been a considerable time lag Reilly's question managed to penetrate her battling thoughts. Startled as if she had been stung by a wasp Hera tore her eyes away from the solitary figure pacing up and down at the edge of their camp. She stirred uncomfortably under the Sergeant's inquisitive look, praying her flushed cheeks wouldn't be visible in the weak light of the flames.

"Probably trying to pry all the universe's secrets from the stars and leaving me empty-handed." Malcolm suggested with the air of a man who would gladly accept the challenge.

"No such scheme, Doctor." Hera assured him, avoiding Reilly's gaze on purpose and getting up to stretch her legs. "Well, not tonight at least." She added with a weak smile and slung her sonic blaster on her back. She didn't mean to follow her team but made to head the other way. She could use some air right about now. Well, colder air than the warmth of the fire offered at any rate.

"Where are you going?" Malcolm asked her with a sudden hint of genuine concern.

"Just having a look around. Somebody's got to keep you safe." Hera explained evenly, lingering on the spot somewhat hesitantly while zipping up her tac vest and putting on her gloves to protect herself from the cold.

Sergeant Reilly regarded her solemnly for a moment, then said in a light tone of voice, "Don't worry, I'll stay with him for a while. Not done warming my hands anyway."

"Thanks." Hera nodded vaguely in her direction and turned to go.

"Wait a minute. Who said I needed a babysitter?" Malcolm protested looking displeased from one to the other, "I mean, it's not like anything can happen, right?"

Hera shrugged, still looking anywhere but the Sergeant whose eyes she feared could wiggle the truth from hers in a flash.

But Reilly turned to Malcolm again and started rather ominously, "Well, I don't want to scare you, Doc, _but_.."

"But..? _What_? I hate buts.." He demanded impatiently.

"Do you now? And which of the two would that be?" Reilly retorted followed by a burst of her contagious laughter.

" _Haha_ , very funny, Sergeant." Malcolm muttered back though a smile curved his lips which belied his chagrin. Tuning out the conversation Hera seized her chance and walked away briskly but quietly enough not to raise their attention. Judging by the Sergeant's continuing giggles she'd successfully made a clean escape.

She stepped out into the dark night which was only made a little less dim by the soft glow of a handful of campfires. Her breath formed foggy clouds in the cold air as she went carefully avoiding running into anyone. She stopped at their rover and leaned back towards it, mercifully hidden from sight. Letting out a heavy sigh she looked out over the seemingly abandoned desert stretching out before her.

Despite some obvious hardships Hera felt the Badlands transformed during the night in a strangely calm and beautiful place. Although the quiet allowed her thoughts to wander too much, she relished the chance to gaze up at the constellations that twinkled gleefully from afar. The idea alone that the light reaching her eyes had traveled for so long through a cold, dark and harsh space was enthralling. Hera pushed herself off the rover again. She took a few steps forward, her eyes still glued at the wondrous sight, hoping their journey would soon bear fruit and that either the universe itself or sheer dumb luck hadn't forsaken them yet. Then she blinked, turning around at the spot so the stars above were a whirl of glistening gems on a dark velvet sky.

* * *

Mingling with the sand his blood ran like rivers of deep red away from his unmoving body. His glazed eyes stared blankly up at the sky, unhindered by the burning sun whose rays failed utterly in warming his ghostly white face. His mouth was half open, his pale parted lips never forming the words that had been on it when life had suddenly but resolutely left him for good.

Mira crossed her arms over her chest as if to defy the truth lying at her feet. She took in every inch of him, trying to find something with which she could deny the reality of what she saw. Slowly pacing up and down she eyed the caved in structure looming overhead. What had been its roof and walls was now nothing more than a skeleton of wooden beams and crumbling limestone slates.

Shaking her head in frustration when the scenarios entering her head were each of them unsatisfactory Mira knelt down. Throwing a weary look at the body of her most trusted ally denial left her at last. She cast her eyes down in momentary defeat. There was no way around it; _Carter was unmistakably dead_.

Boots grinding the sand on the windswept square brusquely interrupted her dark ruminations and warned her someone was approaching. She tensed and placed a hand on the dagger strapped around her thigh.

"Oh.. He must've fallen. How.. _Unfortunate_." Someone said in an unconvincing tone of regret. Without looking up Mira instantly knew who the voice belonged to. Heart pounding in her ears with barely repressed loathing she slowly got up, her back still defiantly towards her unwelcome company.

"But.. I suppose accidents will happen." Lucas Taylor continued wisely and added snidely with a malicious grin playing around the corners of his lips, "Still.. Such a pity."

Standing next to her he brought his hand to his chest and folded it over his heart in mock grief. Mira grinded her teeth at his insentient act of sorrow.

" _Accident!?_ " She repeated with acid emphasis, almost tasting the bitterness of the accusation now taking shape in her mind. Lucas turned to her feigning a look of innocent surprise, "Of course. It must be. After all, these are treacherous ruins.." He inclined his head towards the broken down structure, "It pains me to send your people in there.. Truly, it does.." He surveyed its shadowy entrance with apparent abhorrence.

"Then go and look for it yourself." Mira hissed vehemently in his direction unable to stop herself.

"Oh, I would love to. That's a really good idea- Ah, wait.." Lucas raised a finger and tapped it against his temple as if he suddenly remembered something trivial that had slipped his mind. "You must be forgetting, _once again_ , so let me remind you one last time." He pointed his finger threateningly at her now and held her gaze with an unnerving stare, "Unlike some, I'm irreplaceable.. Which is more than can be said for your dear friend, isn't it?"

Mira refused to look away and clenched her jaw, instinctively flexing her hands as a familiar anger was steadily building up inside her.

"You see, I really need to find that portal. Only I can get us back to 2149. And when I do you can finally be reunited with that adorable daughter of yours. Sienna, was it?" He asked with a voice devoid of compassion.

"Are you sure you can make it work?" Mira demanded curtly and refused to humour him by showing how it stung having her daughter's name pass his lips.

"Shh..!" Lucas berated her and touched her lips with a single finger to silence her, at the same time closing his eyes as if her words involuntarily made him wince, "You know, you have the same problem as your men. How can I help you, if you will not believe that I can. All of you staggeringly lack faith in my brilliance. I cannot tell you how much it.. _Aggravates_ me. I need your men to do this for me but.. Their hearts don't seem to be in it as much as I would like them to be. Take Carter here." He waved a casual hand in his direction before he tightened his grip around her chin, his fingers pressing her cheeks as he forced her head to turn and look at the dead body. "Now, I've always felt his motivation wasn't quite what it should be. And I thought to myself, what if all he needs is a small _push-"_ A malignant glint was sparked in his eyes before finishing his sentence, "-in the right direction."

"You bastard!" Mira shouted and violently pushed herself away from him in blind anger. Wanting to hurt every inch of the raving mad man in front of her she swung a closed fist at him. He ducked it easily and grabbed her arm, twisting it around on her back so she couldn't move. With a dull thud he slammed her against the wall.

"I'm sure we'd both like to avoid.. _Accidents_ happening again. So, I suggest you don't get any strange ideas about who's in charge." He spat in a spiteful whisper with his face close to hers. Mira struggled and managed to free herself from his firm grip by thrusting her elbow backwards until she felt it made contact. Lucas stumbled back and felt his nose. Then he inspected his fingers that wallowed in its blood with mild interest. Suddenly he let out a callous laugh much like the hollow cry of a crow, everything seemingly a game he thoroughly enjoyed.

Mira felt sick watching him and pounded her fist against the eroded wall next to her out of sheer frustration, fearing that if Taylor wouldn't turn up soon to do the dirty work for her, she might finish his job for him instead. Gladly. But she couldn't. Mira shook her head, forcing the uncontrollable fury welling up inside her to ebb away. She couldn't allow herself to forget she still needed Lucas Taylor. Needed his mind to solve her problem. She looked up at him with revolt in her eyes when he started to walk away from her, saying; "Find me that portal. And I'll fulfill all of your dreams." He spread his arms and looked up at the heavens as if then paradise itself would be his gift to her.

Thanks for Reading & Let me know what you think! :=)


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N:** **I love writing Lucas, it's just so much fun to crawl into his deranged mind and have him say/do crazy stuff that scares the sh*t out of even Mira haha ;p And having never been to a desert myself it's great to hear my imagined version of the Badlands tied in with your experiences (who says we can't travel in our minds! ;p), that must have been an amazing trip! I'm glad you're enjoying the direction of the story, hope you'll like the next two chapters as well! Thanks for the review, EFBT! :D**

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

 **CHAPTER 15**

 **Treasure Trove**

 **OMINOUS** looking clouds unexpectedly started to roll in when they we're a mere two clicks away from the next dog tag. At first they were no more than thin wisps of brownish gray, but soon they grew in size and threatened to encircle them like a pack of hungry wolves. Hera glanced up in concern now the clear blue sky from twenty minutes ago was increasingly swallowed up by the growing clouds overhead. She leaned forward and tapped the monitor once to switch to the meteorological sensors. The images popping up only deepened her frown. If the readouts were correct they were bound to be overrun by a very nasty looking sand storm that Hera was sure had not been there half an hour ago. It seemed the desert had betrayed them at last and was now but all too eager to show them just how cruel it could make life here in this barren wasteland.

"Sergeant? Are you seeing this?" Commander Taylor asked her urgently over the radio which had crackled into life.

"Yes, sir." Hera replied promptly, trying to pinpoint his location on the map. He was still half a mile out from their position seeing he had gone to check the way ahead. She shuddered to think how vulnerable he was going to be on his motorbike.

"At the risk of sounding presumptuous," The Commander started though his voice sounded far away now the connection was breaking up occasionally, "Any ideas as to how much time we have until the storm hits us?"

Typing in commands somewhat feverishly Hera quickly pulled up the necessary schematics. Then, once she had entered the latest set of data on the development of the storm, let out a disappointed sigh upon seeing the calculated estimates.

"Talk to me, Sergeant." Came Commander Taylor's earnest but pressing request. Hera's first impulse had been to rerun the simulations but she knew there was no mistaking the results on the small square screen in front of her. "Approximately ten minutes. Sir."

"Understood." He acknowledged, keeping his voice calm

and steady despite an increasingly howling wind that battled with it, "Here's what we're going to do," seemingly unperturbed by their incredibly short timeframe he went on briskly, "Maybe the Rhino is going to be ok, but I doubt your rover offers enough shelter to sit out the storm in it. I spotted some structures up ahead, possibly man made, I'd wager our best chances of finding adequate cover is to head over and take refuge there."

Despite the heat her skin turned to goose bumps at hearing this. _Manmade structures_? _Did that mean what she thought it meant_?

"What about its inhabitants, sir?" Hera felt compelled to point out, a burning curiosity to find out who had built something way out here and, more importantly perhaps, if they were still around.

"Well, it's impossible to tell whether anyone is home or not. I tried scanning for life signs but it's no good. Storm must be causing too much interference. Unfortunately, we don't have much of a choice." Commander Taylor explained with a tone of uneasiness, then went on quickly so as to not lose more time talking when they were going to run out of it soon. "Lock onto my position and make for those coordinates, I already told Dunham to follow you. Oh and Sergeant? You'd better step on it."

"Will do, sir." Hera assured him and ended the transmission with a heavy heart. "You heard him, better get there fast." She patted Miller next to her on the shoulder who nodded and increased the rover's speed. With the Rhino in their wake they sped towards the odd and irregular shapes of what had to be dwellings or maybe an abandoned settlement now appearing as a mirage on the horizon and where the Commander already awaited them. Hoping Malcolm and the others sitting tense and quiet in the back couldn't see the view through the rear mirror Hera shifted impatiently in her seat, apprehensively eying the strong winds that lifted up clouds of sand and dust. _Oh yeah. This was definitely going to be a close call._ Hera thought nervously and forced herself to fix her eyes on the map in front of her instead. _Almost there._

Once they were close enough Miller spotted the Commander waving at them. He stood next to his motorbike which was parked against a tattered wall with cracks running all over it. Hera gestured for Miller to stop the rover and all of them quickly got out. The moment she had reached Commander Taylor she could faintly hear the humming of the Rhino and doors slamming shut when Sergeant Reilly and her squad joined them.

"All right. I'll park the rover closer to block the entrance from the wind. Both of you," Commander Taylor indicated the Sergeant and Hera with a jerk of his chin, "Get everyone inside." He ordered them and added when Hera threw an uncertain look into the shadowy doorway to her right, "Don't worry. It's clear, I checked. Now, hurry!" With that he turned around and headed for the rover.

It didn't take them long to get inside the dilapidated building. It was not much more than a ruin; the roof was mostly gone and parts of the walls showed gaping holes and crumbling, brittle clay of some sort. Hera was just making sure that her squad and Malcolm and his assistants had found sufficient shelter when the Commander returned. It was then that Reilly called out in alarm.

"Wait! Where's Dunham?" She yelled to be heard over the howling wind outside. With one thorough look around Hera realized he wasn't there. She instantly headed for the doorway but Commander Taylor held her back just before she reached it.

"Stay here. That's an order." He beseeched her, a determined glint in his eyes that bored into hers. She looked at him imploringly but eventually nodded with reluctance under his stern gaze. Then he stepped outside and soon disappeared from view. After having assured herself that the others were as safe and ready as they could ever hope to be to brave the sand storm, Hera impatiently took up position next to the doorway and peered outside. Dust billowed up from the ground and whirled around, quickly reducing visibility to a mere five meters.

Then, suddenly, a figure appeared, body bent against the wind and running towards them. It was Dunham. Out of breath he stumbled inside and fell to his knees in exhaustion. Reilly knelt beside him, a worried look on her face. "Where did you go?" She demanded but Hera broke in before he could answer her, "Where's the Commander?" She asked him gruffly.

"Commander Taylor? I- I don't know." Dunham stammered, shaking his head. "If he's not here, he must still be out there.." He feebly waved a hand in the direction of the doorway, his voice trailing away when his eyes met the raging storm outside.

Without a second thought Hera grabbed her visor from a pocket in her tac vest and bound her scarf tightly over her nose and mouth.

"Sergeant!" She heard Sergeant Reilly call after her but she was already out the door and passed the rover parked partly in front of it. Wind tugging at her hair and pushing her in whichever direction it wanted her to go Hera struggled to stay on her feet. She adjusted her visor and switched it to thermal vision. _This better work_. She hoped inwardly and looked around searchingly when the world around her turned gray. Squinting her eyes she could make out the Rhino up ahead.

"Commander Taylor?" Hera touched her earpiece repeatedly, each time calling his name. Her heart hammered wildly against her chest when nothing but static met her ears. Slightly disoriented she pressed on forward until, at last and with a jolt running through her entire body, she could discern something moving towards her. At first it was nothing more than a indistinct blob that was merely of a deeper red than its surroundings. Then, when Hera hurriedly increased her pace, she recognized it was a human silhouette; the Commander.

With a tense knot in her stomach she also noticed how behind him wild gusts picked up the remaining loose sand and dust from the dry surface so it rose to the height the equivalent of a devastating tidal wave on land.

She rushed forward and almost slammed into Commander Taylor who, blinded by the storm around him, had not seen her coming. He had raised a hand in an effort to shield his eyes and mouth from the sand clouds that billowed up and whirled around them at dizzying speed. Hera hesitated for a split second, casting a terrified glance at the wall of sand rapidly expanding towards them and back at the formless outlines of the ruin, then made up her mind.

"Close your eyes, sir. I'll be yours for a bit." She yelled at the top of her lungs, hoping he could hear her. Then she took a deep breath and took off her scarf, the arid air and raging gusts immediately making her cough and swallow a mouthful of fine sand grains that grated her throat. While the winds chafed her exposed skin without mercy Hera quickly bound the scarf around his face instead and took his arm to lead him back to the Rhino. Thanks to her visor she soon found it again. Together they headed straight for its back hatch and with their combined strength managed to overcome the strong wind which was pushing against it.

They scrambled inside, closing the hatch against a darkening sky now the storm was directly upon them and almost completely blocked out the sun. They had made it just in time. The Rhino rocked back and forth as the wall of sand crashed into it, the closed off shutters rattling violently in the wind and streams of sand seeping in through crevices and between the window slits. Both panting they raised themselves up and sank in one of the seats. The Commander heaved a sigh of relief while Hera anxiously looked him over to see if he was okay. Apart from dry, parched lips and his face and clothes covered in sand, he seemed to be unharmed.

"Thanks for.." Commander Taylor began once he'd caught his breath, "Well, for disobeying a direct order, I guess.." He finished, his mouth quirking slightly.

Hera stirred uneasily in her chair, wiping sand off the visor in her hands. "Um, yeah. Sorry about that.. Sir." She finally mumbled with down cast eyes.

"That's okay. In fact," He cleared his throat meaningfully and went on, "I'm kinda glad you did. Thank you."

Hera looked up in his grateful eyes, and for a moment couldn't help but forget the devastating sand storm still raging menacingly outside.

* * *

Malcolm blinked at the glaring sun overhead and wiped the sweat of his face with his sleeve. He wanted to give in to his immense thirst but knew it had to wait. Refusing to accept the help of one of the soldiers sent to accompany him, he bent his knees and lifted the heavy crate again. Puffing from the effort he was glad when he could finally put it down in the broken down building where they'd had taken shelter before. The wind had swept away enough sand to create another desert elsewhere, leaving several other ruins bare, but this was the only one with something that still slightly resembled a roof which was why they'd made it HQ for now.

As he rummaged through the crate's contents, gratefully downing a water bottle at the same time, Malcolm was once again particularly glad he'd thought of bringing an archeologist with him. He could definitely use Doctor Johnson's expertise right now. For not just the ruins, but a very interesting array of artefacts had been exposed as well. All of them seemingly from the same era as the eerie figurehead of that sad looking mermaid. They had only been going at it for five or six hours but already they'd found dozens of small carvings, bronze cups and plates, ornate vases and a range of dusty jewelry.

All of it naturally begged the question who on earth had left all of this stranded in the Badlands. Malcolm suspected that whoever they were, they must've accidentally come through the portal here on that ship from which the prow now in has lab had been ripped off of. Or at least the part of it that had made it through…

 _Ok, his theory still needed work_ , he concluded and shelved it to go over when he had more time for it. Something told him Commander Taylor wouldn't be quite ready to listen to him philosophizing before he could offer him a solid theory, all polished and logical enough to be acceptable.

Looking around at the collection of mismatched items Malcolm judged it was already more than enough to start a museum with. Busying himself with cataloguing all of it in an orderly fashion he barely heard it when his portable tablet bleeped violently from a distant corner.

"Your scan results are in." Doctor Johnson grunted seemingly annoyed at the sound, poking him urgently in the back with unnecessary force as he was wont to do. Repressing his first impulse to sacrifice his stylus for a most noble and just cause Malcolm crossed the room and picked up his tablet expectantly. A smile curved his lips and grew bigger as his eyes flew over the data. _This was good._ Preliminary scans were very promising indeed. He could already distinguish several traces that accounted for traveling through the portal. What was more, and this discovery almost made him light-headed with pride; every single object he'd scanned so far shared that exact same molecular signature as the one they all had.

He turned around ready to receive Doctor Johnson's due praise at his work but at that moment Sergeant Reilly and Corporal Dunham came in carrying another heavy looking crate between them. "Over here." Doctor Johnson told them gruffly and directed them to the other crates.

"You're welcome." The Sergeant muttered darkly under her breath and exchanged a look with Dunham when the Doctor turned his back on them leaning over the crate and its contents without another word. Undisturbed he continued rummaging through some rusty cups and another set of tiny statues and didn't even look up when the Commander flanked by two of his man walked in.

"Any luck?" Reilly inquired immediately, forgetting her annoyance with the Doctor in an instant. Commander Taylor shook his head, "Nothing ." he said, with obvious dis-appointment. He had been on the hunt for another dog tag, but, like Malcolm had already pointed out though no one would listen, it seemed there were no more to be found. They'd simply reached their destination. Looking around him and taking in all the various marvelous objects that made his scientific mind race with excitement, only strengthened this conviction.

Although they hadn't exactly found the portal yet, what with all the historical artefacts it was bound to turn up eventually. In the meantime, they would have more than enough on their hands with going through all these crates and exploring the ruins outside. On the whole, Malcolm thought as he turned back to the tablet in his hands, this apparent treasure trove was more than he had expected to find by following those dog tags. But just because it hadn't turned out to be the wild goose chase he had expected it to be, he feared there was still ample of opportunity left for this mission to go south. After all, they still had no idea where the Sixers were and what they were up to.

Pushing this troublesome thought away Malcolm returned to the crate he'd carried inside and got one of the fine brushes from Dr. Johnson's toolkit after making sure he was still engrossed by the overly ornamental bracelet in his hands. Getting on his knees he resumed carefully brushing the dust and dirt that had stuck to it after years of being buried under ground from the large and fragile looking vase before him. He could already discern a beautiful intricate pattern in the dark blue lines running across its surface like a delicate maze.

Hera, charged with standing guard over him and his colleagues, walked over from her corner where she had been silently cleaning her rifle. She dropped to a crouch next to him to look over his shoulder. Looking rather bored and a bit sleepy Malcolm noticed how she tried to hide an impressive yawn behind her hand.

"I'll admit. It's not exactly a _cool_ job. And I'm not talking about the weather conditions." He told her good-humoredly.

"Don't say that, Doc." Hera started in mild protest and finished with a kind smile, "I think you're cool."

"Really?" Both Malcolm and Commander Taylor asked simultaneously with a tone of genuine surprise. Somewhat taken aback by two pairs of eyes looking entreatingly her way. Hera stammered, "Well, I mean, not the _I'm-going-to-strangle-a-Carnotaurus-with-my-bare-hands-now_ kind of cool, but, you know, the uh.." She ran a hand through her hair, slightly flustered, "The _other_ cool." She finally settled on saying.

Commander Taylor smiled rather mysteriously at this, seemingly amused with her answer. Malcolm, deciding it was neither an insult nor a compliment in the end, threw Hera a slightly hesitant but grateful look then turned his attention back to the vase again.

Half an hour later Malcolm got up to stretch his legs and stepped back to admire his work. Pleased with the result so far he massaged his hands, which had started to cramp up due to repeating the same movement over and over again, feeling it was time for a well-deserved break. Just at that time he felt a familiar pinching sensation in his back. He turned around to find Dr. Johnson staring at him questioningly.

"Coming?" He mumbled stiffly in his direction. Malcolm blinked a couple of times before answering.

"Oh, you mean you would like me to accompany you, if at all possible now I'm so incredibly busy?" He reformulated the question for him without attempting to sift the sarcasm out of his words. Clueless to his true feelings, however, Dr. Johnson nodded curtly at this and preceded him outside.

"All right. I'll come.." Malcolm muttered and made to follow when the Commander cocked his head at him and furrowed his brow meaningfully.

"Ah, yes. I guess we need permission." He sighed and waited impatiently for the Commander to assign him a bodyguard. Honestly, sometimes the man made him feel like he was back in kindergarten. And he definitely _hadn't_ enjoyed those days. Gesturing Dunham to follow when he rather unenthusiastically stepped up to him Malcolm was on his way at last.

It didn't take them long to catch up with Dr. Johnson. Slouching, as usual, he was half way across the windswept square and headed straight for a ruin the walls of which had almost entirely collapsed. Just when Malcolm was beginning to wonder why on earth they had actually come here Dr. Johnson halted in front of what looked like a rusty ring at his feet. It was wrought of a metal that must have once been considered durable.

"Oh.." Was all Malcolm could say and stepped up behind the quaint archeologist that had apparently succeeded in surprising him when he didn't think it possible anymore. He knelt down and using both his hands wiped away the loose sand around the massive ring. With the help of Dunham they soon uncovered a wooden frame underneath that must be nothing short of a trapdoor.

"When did you find this?" He asked the Doctor, seriously impressed by his findings. The man simply shrugged and said, "This morning. Thought you might be interested to know what is hidden under it."

"Yes! I most definitely am." Malcolm assured him with barely restrained enthusiasm, thereby making up for his colleague's apparent lack of it. Without waiting any longer Malcolm pulled at the ring and slowly but surely the trapdoor opened, revealing a steep stone stairwell leading down into the darkness beyond.

"Wo-wo-wo! Doc! Let's not rush in blindly here, okay?" Dunham protested with a fearful look on his face and flapping his hands helplessly at Doctor Johnson who chose to ignore him, switched on his flashlight and started down the stairs without seeming to have a care in the world. Slightly confused by his unusual quickness Malcolm was torn between either admiring Dr. Johnson's bravery or cursing his stubborn stoicism. Before having made up his mind on this point, however, sheer curiosity won out over caution and he followed the doctor down.

"What did I just say?" Slightly out of breath Dunham came rushing down the stairs after them, but his remonstration fell on deaf ears. His eyes not having adjusted to the darkness yet he almost bumped into the two scientists standing frozen on the spot, both of them were wrapped in equally wild ecstasy. Even Dr. Johnson's inherent impassive-ness had gone. Faces rapt they gazed open mouthed at the hoard of artefacts gathered before them, glittering in the frail beam of Dr. Johnson's flashlight like the nest of a particularly greedy magpie.

"What are you doing?! No, no, no, no, no! Do _not_ touch _anything_!" Dunham warned them with panic in his voice when as one Malcolm and Dr. Johnson were lured closer to the many fine treasures within their grasp. Casting a longing look back at the stair Dunham sighed in frustration and reluctantly came after them.

"Would you just look at this.." Malcolm chortled and switched on his own flashlight. He followed its beam with eager eyes as it passed over embellished canons, various weirdly shaped tools and even a collection of thick rope resembling a frayed and curled up python.

"This is amazing-" He stopped midsentence and abruptly redirected his flashlight to shine on the ground in front of the canons. "Oh no.." He instantly reached for his radio, managing with a considerable effort to repress the impulse to flee, "Commander? You might want to see this.."

Thanks for Reading & Let me know what you think! :=)


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

 **CHAPTER 16**

 **Mousetrap**

 **NATHANIEL** frowned at the unmistakably fresh footprints at his feet. There seemed to be quite a few of the tell-tale imprints on the dusty ground. Although he had been expecting this to happen, now he was actually looking at the tangible proof of the Sixers' presence he wished he knew what exactly they were scheming. Not that it mattered that much, Nathaniel reminded himself. As soon as they had taken up HQ in that run down building he knew it had been high time to decide on a strategy.

Together with Sergeant Reilly and Sergeant Hallows they'd already taken all the necessary precautions. In fact, at this very moment the Sergeant was lying in wait all over the ruins, more than ready to take out the Sixers when they finally did show themselves. For they were definitely hiding out around here too, he didn't need the footprints to tell him that. They did let him know a vital piece of information, though; the Sixers had finally made the first move. Of this he was sure. Nathaniel lifted his head and stared into the darkness ahead, hands confidently resting on his hips. It was up to him now to spring the trap.

"I tried to stop them, sir. B-But they didn't listen." Dunham exclaimed, sounding exasperated but with his usual look of hurt innocence on his young face. Nathaniel had to repress a smile before he answered him, "Yes.. Some people tend to turn that into somewhat of a hobby." He threw both doctors a deliberately accusing and displeased look.

"Look," Malcolm began in his defense and from the corner of his eyes Nathaniel could see Sergeant Hallows apprehensively starting to move in between them. "All we did was have a look around, _with_ our bodyguard." He explained tiredly, but the rather guilty look in his eyes betrayed his true regret.

Nathaniel doubted his pride would allow the Doctor to admit this out loud though. But then again, that sentiment, not wholly unfamiliar to him, was one of the few things he actually liked about the man. He was about to open his mouth to let him know now was not the time nor place but they would definitely be going over it later when something suddenly moved in the shadows up ahead.

"Uh, Commander?" Instantly jumpy Malcolm took a few steps back while pointing in the direction of one of the huge canons hidden in the dark.

"Don't worry, Doc, already on it. Hang back a little, would you?" Nathaniel told him calmly, adding in an undertone to Corporal Dunham next to him, "Keep a close eye on them."

Despite looking very much like he would have preferred latrine duty instead of babysitting those two again, Dunham nodded at once and herded the two scientist closer to him. Raising his blaster and with Hera copying his stance Nathaniel made ready to go and look for the source of the movement when a sudden scraping noise echoed loudly through the catacomb like place. Immediately after he could hear scuffling sounds, but those weren't coming from farther ahead; they came from behind. Whisking around he was just in time to see Dr. Johnson forcefully elbowing his colleague out of the way and making for the stairs in an obvious hurry.

"Wait!" Dunham called after him while Malcolm was bent forward grabbing his stomach. Looking back at him for permission Nathaniel instantly nodded once they'd locked eyes. Without another word Dunham sprinted after Johnson who was nearly at the top of the stairs by now. Cursing under his breath Taylor watched both of them go knowing Hera would have his back. With a last effort Dr. Johnson had made it and disappeared from view through the trapdoor. Dunham shouted after him from his position halfway up the steep stairs. Before he could reach the trapdoor himself, however, there was a strident shriek from above.

Next moment someone came tumbling down the stairs like a rag doll, taking the unprepared Dunham with him in his fall. They landed with a resounding crash at the bottom of the stairs. Groaning, Dunham quickly got to his feet again with the help of Malcolm after which both of them stared incredulously at the body crumpled at their feet. Nathaniel took a few steps closer though he could already guess who it must be. Leaning forward he recognized Dr. Johnson lying face down in the dust; _a shiny dagger thrust deeply into his back_.

* * *

He liked lying in wait. Observing his ignorant prey with a deadly calm. It suited him. After all, when it came to revenge, he was patient. And dear old dad, it seemed, was playing right in his hands. Lucas recognized his voice instantaneously when it mingled with the others who'd come to check out the underground labyrinth they didn't know they had entered yet. With a feeling of disgust he listened to that low, deep voice, carefully biding his time.

There was a sudden commotion; he chanced a look around the cannon he was hiding behind and could discern someone scrambling towards the stairs with another in pursuit. His dad had his back turned to him but two watchful eyes stared in his direction. If that wasn't that sneaky mouse that had actually dared to plot against him. Lucas recognized the young and pretty face he'd personally thrown in the brig after he'd caught her setting charges in _his_ newly acquired office.

A wicked smile curved his lips as he fondly remembered the insane dose of sedative he'd injected her with. A just punishment. He also recalled, with more of a bitterness to it, her biting his hand in the process like the good little lab rat that she was. He had meant to pay her another visit, finish the job to his satisfaction, when his father's faithful servant had timely rescued her protege; Lieutenant Washington. _Well, he'd got her in the end._ And now fate, it seemed, offered him the chance to tie up more than one loose end.

There was a shriek followed by a heavy thud when two figures tumbled down the stairs. Hairs on end Lucas knew this was the moment he'd been waiting for. _Let's see if she wants to play_. He thought and fixed his eyes maliciously on the little mouse. Then, he stealthily ducked around the canon and left his hiding place. Standing in the middle of the passage long enough to be seen he looked straight at his prey before turning around to head deeper into the underground maze.

He'd instinctively recognized that look in her eyes; a vengeful fire kindled in those cold gray eyes the color of rain. And he knew instantly that nothing would extinguish that raging ember but his very own blood. It seemed his gamble had paid off; she hadn't forgotten her beloved Sergeant's death. And now he had struck her, like a viper, its venom spreading through her veins by now, poisoning her heart and mind. _She was already his_.

An instant later he could hear her nimble footsteps as she blindly sprinted towards him. He set off through the intricate structure of interconnecting passages he knew by heart. He might not have found the portal down here, but the place would still serve him well. He would lure her deeper and deeper into the maze of tunnels. There would be no way out.

Lucas turned a corner and peered around it. In the light of the handful of torches he had placed to light the way he could see her approaching. She stopped at the crossroads he'd just passed, her eyes wildly flying from one path to the next. Deriving a savage pleasure from her impending doom Lucas briefly stepped into the light.

"Catch me if you can, little mouse." He goaded her, his voice laced with contempt. She instantly dashed towards him. Lucas laughed in cruel amusement, thoroughly enjoying this game of ensnaring her more and more by her almost tangible lust for revenge, which radiated off her even in this dark and eerie underground labyrinth. He stepped back and allowed himself to be swallowed by the shadows again.

With a thrill Lucas realized they were almost there when, at the same moment heavier footsteps and a shout reached his ears. Good. Judging by the sound of his father's desperate cry bouncing off the bare and crumbling walls around them, this one was important to him. How perfect he could torture his conscience even more by letting her die too. He leaned against the wall, it gave in allowing him access to a secret passageway. With determined strides he hurried, grabbing a torch of the wall along the way.

Finally, he came to a halt when the path turned left and he looked out on a long winding passage. He cocked his head in anticipation, picking up sounds of running footsteps coming closer. _Here we go._ He thought with a jolt of intense excitement when his bait arrived, followed by his father. He watched them close the distance between them with a hungry look in his eyes. He had reeled them both in like a fisherman would his catch for the day.. –Or some such analogy his father would no doubt make of it. _He never was the creative one_ , Lucas thought to himself and grinned.

"Welcome, father!" He couldn't help but admire his loud voice seemingly magnified tenfold as it traveled through the tunnels, "To your _grave_.." he finished with sheer delight. Catching up to her at last Lucas watched the man he loathed for so long grab the insubordinate little mouse and hold her back.

"Look at the bright sight, Dad." Lucas sniggered with disdain, "At least you won't be alone."

"This is between you and me.. Leave her out of it." His dad proposed with his usual pompous heroism that was so revolting to him.

"Mmm." Lucas nodded in mock consideration before shrugging as if he truly regretted the outcome of his feigned internal struggle, " _No_ deal." He watched with aversion as his father shook his head and threw him an imploring look.

"In fact," He continued, not able to stand being in his presence for much longer as it filled him with a hatred strong and surging it threatened to overwhelm him, "being the generous soul that I am, I think I'll bury you together. I can only hope you'll stay alive long enough down here to regret ever having thwarted me.." Lucas spat and threw the torch in his hand away. It had hardly hit the ground when it sparked the two fuses eagerly waiting for its flames to ignite them.

Lucas raised his arms in triumph as he watched the sparks travel like fiery snakes towards their prey. A victorious laugh forced itself from his lungs and he reveled in it. His father should be grateful. After all, buried under the rubble, he would give him a most noble and befitting grave. Never again would he be touched by the light; but die surrounded by a darkness so deep it could offer nothing of hope. A darkness that had swallowed him all those years ago, when he had looked at a father who had done nothing to save him. Now, he could finally repay him with the same kindness.

Lucas threw both of them one last look of repulsion, hardly taking in the sliver of silver reflected in the fire of the torch at his feet. Then, he closed his eyes and averted his face when two powerful explosions shuddered the ground under his feet. He slowly opened them again when a searing pain that had nothing to do with the explosives went through him. He raised his shaking hands that were covered in blood. Lucas looked down at his chest in horror as his eyes met the source of that metallic flicker he'd seen but not immediately registered in his brilliant moment of triumph.

Thanks for Reading & Let me know what you think! :=)


	17. Chapter 17

**EFBT:** I thought it was time for a good old-fashioned cliffhanger, haha And I felt sorry for Dr. Johnson too but I'm afraid I (shamelessly) used him as one of those expendable extras who you know will serve as canon fodder ;) Even though I'm surely tempted to answer all of your questions I guess I really shouldn't because it would be giving away too many spoilers, and what's the fun in new episodes if you already know what's gonna happen! Thanks for your review, EFBT!

 **Fenrisulven13:** Yes, the Sixers are definitely out there! Though I think at the moment Hera is too busy surviving that explosion to have a plan yet of how to deal with them, but she and Nathaniel will deal with them.. ;) Thanks for the review!

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 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

 **CHAPTER 17**

 **Labyrinth**

 **HER** visor was but all too obviously cracked beyond repair; the only thing it showed were five bright red letters forming the message 'error', which was blinking weakly at her when that too flickered one last time and faded away, plunging everything around her into utter darkness.

"Dammit!" Hera muttered angrily under her breath and took it off, almost crushing it in half in her clenched fist. Instead she grabbed the flashlight attached to her belt, praying it wasn't broken. For a moment she fumbled with it in her hands, then her fingers found the right switch and she tried her luck. A column of light shot upwards instantly. Hera let out a sigh of relief. Apart from some minor scratches that might've been there before, it still seemed to be in perfect working order. _Note to self;_ _let's use whatever material they use to make flashlights for everything else in the future_. She thought wryly, turning the flashlight upside down and planting it on the ground next to her so it could provide her with the light she needed while both her hands were free.

"Sir?" Hera craned her neck in search of the Commander, "Can you hear me, sir?" She asked again when she didn't see him anywhere. "Commander Taylor?" There was a note of panic in her voice now it remained eerily quiet. She forced her sore body to move and managed with some groans and painfully protesting ribs to sit upright. Her eyes glanced around searchingly until she at last spotted him amongst the rubble further ahead into the tunnel.

"Sir?" She called out to him again instinctively, but he didn't respond. _Nor move,_ Hera realized and anxiety gripped her throat. Hastily getting to her feet, and swaying slightly as a result of it, she rushed towards him ignoring the stiffness and reluctance in her limbs.

"Commander?" She knelt down and cast an imploring look at him. There was a thick layer of gray dust smeared on his face, just like on hers. A souvenir from the explosion that had settled down like greasy snow all around. She quickly took off his visor, which seemed to be in no better state than hers. _So much for night vision_. She carelessly dropped it and instantly reverted her attention back to the Commander.

"Sir?" Hera called out to him in a pleading whisper once again and gently shook him by the shoulder. Her heart started to race anxiously when he remained apparently lifeless with his eyes closed and body unmoving. Leaning closer she noticed the blood that ran down his cheek like red twisting roots from a strange alien plant. With a sickening worry she traced it to a deep gash above his temple. She swallowed hard.

"I-I'm sorry… It's all my fault.." Hera stammered, desperately pressing her ear against his chest to check for a heartbeat and fearing with a painful stab through her own heart it might not be there, "Please, please, _please_ , don't be dead.." She begged with tears welling up in her eyes which she had squinted shut in anxious anticipation. A dread so terrible already started to spread through her when she could at last discern a weak throbbing sound, coming like drums from a deep well underground; a heartbeat, faint and fragile, but definitely there.

A sudden piercing and high-pitched wail almost made her jump and swallow her warm relief. Hera looked down warily at the watch around her wrist which let out another random cry. Judging by its battered case it seemed to have had no more luck in surviving the explosion as had the visors. Either that or it simply wasn't working properly this far underground. At any rate, with a damaged watch there was no way to tell the time down here. Hera glanced back at the Commander, wondering just how long he had been out already.

Moreover, even though she couldn't recall passing out herself, the force of the explosion had hurdled her through the air and the undoubtedly harsh landing, of which she thankfully had no memories, might well have knocked her unconscious too. Hours could have passed.. Hours in which a lot could have happened above ground.. Hours in which they were either presumed dead or MIA. If there were still some of their people left to do any presuming, that was. For all she knew the Sixers might have gained the upper hand by now and.. _And killed them all_ , she ruthlessly finished her thought which sent a shiver down her spine as her imagination provided the accompanying gruesome images.

A complaining moan quickly pulled her back to the present. "Sir?" she tried hopefully as the Commander stirred. His eyes remained closed however and after a minute or so she had to give up on the idea that he was coming round. Hera feverishly checked his pulse by placing her fingers on his neck, then, swallowing down a surge of helplessness she took another scrutinizing look to gauge his condition. It wasn't until she had verified that the bleeding had stopped some time ago and she could possibly move him into a better position when she realized his right leg lay half buried under a pile of rubble.

Cursing inwardly she had only just now spotted this she set to clearing away the debris as fast as she could. Carefully placing the rocks and boulders on the ground to avoid an avalanche of the remaining, and very heavy looking, rubble, it took her some time to free his leg. When she had finally managed it she unslung her pack and took out the med-scanner. Placing the device around her finger she slowly moved it over his leg, subjecting it to a basic but thorough inspection. Apart from a slightly swollen ankle, there were no indications he had sustained any fractures or other serious injuries to his leg. When he woke up it must hurt like hell though..

 _Well, first things first_ , she reminded herself sternly and took off the med-scanner. Taking him under his arms she had to use all of her strength to first drag him away from the rubble and then had his body sit up against the wall. After all this Commander Taylor still didn't give any sign of life apart from his head lolling to the side and a twitch in his injured leg.

Ignoring the worrying sensation growing steadily in the pit of her stomach, Hera rummaged through her pack for bandages and the always reliable med-spray. Next to these she laid out some morphine shots too, feeling he might need those when he finally decided to wake up and stop making her feel so damn scared. Fighting back tears she really didn't need right now she tended to his head wound first. She cleaned it up and made it all but disappear with one discharge from the med-spray. Next, Hera bandaged his ankle, taking care not to twist or move it too much, and had his foot resting somewhat elevated on an obliging rock afterward.

Wiping sweat and dust of her forehead with her equally dirty sleeve, Hera let out a long breath. There was nothing more she could do for him at this moment. She'd better use the time her flashlight was still lighting up the place for her to make an inventory of the dire situation they were in. _Thanks to your brilliant self, by the way_ , she mumbled darkly, then pushed the pestering thought away to chew over later. She got to her feet and started to check the condition of the walls around them. There were a few cracks running along it and also overhead on the ceiling, but none of them big enough to have her worry. _Okay, so they probably wouldn't have to fear everything caving in on them_. _Yet_.

About to step out of the circle of light, Hera intuitively felt her belt for the flashlight that obviously wasn't there anymore. Turning around she was halfway back to retrieving it from its faithful spot on the ground close to the Commander, when she stopped. For a moment she hesitated, then pushed aside the sensible argument to preserve light and instead gave in to the irrational urge not to leave him behind in the dark even though she probably wouldn't, or _couldn't_ , go that far to begin with. Instead she made to switch on the light on her pulse rifle when the back of her hand brushed against a familiar bulge protruding from her belt. Feeling a jolt travel through her entire body as if it had given off an electric spark Hera hastily took the radio in her hands. A little light told her it was still switched on. _How could she be so stupid not to think of this before_!

She took a deep intake of breath before opening a channel, "This is Hallows. Does anyone read me?" Nothing but static. "This is Hallows. Anyone copy?" She tried again but still got no response. "Sergeant Reilly? Corporal Dunham? Scott? Miller? _Anyone_ receiving this?" She continued with a growing frustration and repeated the process several times until she had to admit to herself it was a fruitless effort. _It was worth a shot though_..

"Be right back." Hera let the silent figure of Commander Taylor know with a nod in his direction and switched on her weapon's light. Cautiously she made her way back the way they'd come, stopping sometimes when dust and grit suddenly trickled down from the ceiling. After no more than approximately twenty minutes the pale beam coming from her rifle hit another impenetrable pile of rubble, blocking the way in this direction too.

 _So, that was it, then_. They were officially trapped. Sealed in tight in a dark and ancient labyrinth that was slowly crumbling down around them. No way out. Which in turn meant that at some point they could be running out of air to breathe. If the entire structure didn't collapse on them first, that was. Hera bit her lip as that unpleasant reality threatened to sink in. While a rain of dust fell down on her she headed back at a trot, promising silently to herself; _Better not go down that road yet_.

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She had only just returned to his side and was in the middle of laying out their provisions when, with an inarticulate groan, Commander Taylor opened his eyes. "Sir!" Hera let out a cry of happy surprise, almost causing the miniature pyramid of power bars to topple over when she dropped the last one unseeingly on top of it. He blinked hesitantly a couple of times then started to raise himself up from the wall.

"Whoa! Easy there." She urged him and added hastily, "Better not move around too much just yet, Sir." He blinked again at this and took a sharp intake of breath as he tried to move his sore ankle, then instantly coughed as the dusty air reached his lungs. Hera hurriedly took out her canteen and handed it to him. He gratefully brought it to his lips and took a few thirsty sips.

"What happened?" He managed to say after a while, his voice hoarse and weak. For a moment Hera hesitated where to begin then opted for the most uncomplicated version. After all, she wasn't sure to what degree he could remember things at this stage. And she sure as hell didn't want to make his condition worse.

"We got caught in an explosion, well, two of them technically, took out parts of the tunnels in front of us and behind. There doesn't seem to be a way out." She started to explain, leaving out the who and why on purpose. "I just had a look and we seem to have enough water and nutrition to last a couple of days, though. Oh, and we should have light to last that long at least too. Sir."

"Are you hurt?" He enquired demandingly, fixing his eyes on hers. Turning away from his scrutiny Hera simply shook her head once. Commander Taylor took that in silently and then cast his eyes down. Hera just started to wonder whether he had lost consciousness again when he remained silent, but then he suddenly looked up at her again. "Radio?" He asked her waving a weak hand in the direction of her pack, "Visor? Time?" He continued tiredly, limiting himself to one-word sentences for the moment no doubt out of sheer exhaustion.

Hera shook her head more regretfully each time she had to dash his hopes like her own had been not too long ago. "So, in other words," He let out a heavy sigh and stirred uneasily, "we're stuck down here.." He concluded bitterly and with something sounding like defeat in his still feeble voice. Hera's first impulse had been to deny the pessimistic truth he had laid bare and which she had been too afraid to say out loud yet. But then she changed her mind and went for honesty, no matter how dismal it may seem.

"I'm afraid so, sir. For now at least." She admitted heavily.

Thought so." Was his cynical reply before he shoved aside her canteen, careful not to spill water. Then he tried to stand up, at first raising himself only a little by pushing himself away from the ground by sheer will power.

"Sir?" Hera got up and took a few hesitating steps closer. When she offered to help him he adamantly shook his head and continued the straining effort on his own. " _Please_ , sir." She insisted pleadingly as Taylor winced when no doubt a stab of hot pain shot up from his ankle and possibly every other part of his aching body. No longer able to refrain herself now he wouldn't give up and his stubborn pride prevented him from accepting her help, Hera put her hands on his shoulders and held him down. With some effort she managed to gradually push him back against the wall. Despite being obviously groggy and in pain the Commander's strength hadn't left him altogether apparently.

"With all due respect, sir, but you need to rest a bit more," She told him resolutely and ignored his attempt to open his mouth to no doubt protest, "You took quite a blow to the head and your ankle is still swollen." Hera continued building her case, trying at the same time to avoid looking directly into his stern eyes which were looking at her piercingly. Then, her gaze fell on the still untouched pain killer injectors next to her canteen. "Sir, I should get you something for the pain."

"I don't need-" He objected strongly but was cut off by Hera, saying; "Actually, you _do_." Then, attempting to atone for her sudden fierceness added timidly, "Sir."

"Allow me to, um..-" Without waiting for permission she ruthlessly administered a shot of morphine in his thigh now he had momentarily given up the struggle; Commander Taylor grimaced involuntarily and swore through gritted teeth, "-help you, sir." Hera finished, still uncomfortably holding the tiny but very guilty needle in her hand. He threw her a sideways glance as if he didn't quite know what that might entail now she'd just injected him with a generous dose of morphine against his will.

"I'll keep watch. Get some sleep, sir." She let him know in a decisive tone with which she meant to convey there wasn't going to be a discussion about it. Nevertheless, Taylor looked for a moment as if he was of a mind to protest again but the morphine already started to kick in. Although trying to fight off the effects his eyelids inevitably started to slid shut and his head to nod until it rested on his chest. A couple of minutes later and she could hear by the sound of his soft but steady breathing he had fallen fast asleep.

With the Commander sleeping it immediately grew very quiet around her, making her feel hopelessly alone again in this dark, empty place. She barely managed to repress the urge to shake him awake again, just to make sure he would open his eyes and talk to her again. She smiled grimly at this childish thought and got to her feet. There was nothing for it but to hang on a little bit longer on her own, cling to the immeasurable relief she felt that he was still alive. That they were _both_ still alive. Truth of it was, he simply needed to heal up a bit and regain his strength while she had another quick look around.

Hera made to go when she noticed it was getting cooler. Maybe the sun had gone down above ground. It probably wouldn't get as cold in these deep tunnels, though. Just to make sure he would stay warm she took off her outer jacket and draped it over him like a make-shift blanket.

"Don't you move." She told him though he wouldn't hear it, turning her back on Commander Taylor who slept on with a peaceful look on his face when she headed out once more.

It didn't take her long to inspect those cracks she'd seen earlier. Apart from adding some shallow and harmless enough looking crevices to the list it didn't seem the structure would come down on them any time soon. On her way back, Hera was startled by a sudden movement, but when she tracked it with the beam of pale light on her pulse rifle it turned out to be nothing more than a weird looking lizard. It was tiny, with yellow and blue scales gleaming dully and a pair of alert and slightly bulging eyes. For a moment it looked at her as if it was considering striking up a conversation now a stranger had entered its solitary world, but then it decided not to bother and slithered away, disappearing an instant later through a crevice in the wall next to her.

After she returned Hera got the med-scanner out of her pack and took a quick scan of the Commander's ankle again. She let out a sigh in relief when it seemed the swelling had stopped. She was about to reassure herself that the gash above his temple had indeed been properly healed when Commander Taylor stirred in his sleep. Feeling a burning sensation of guilt she watched as he slowly opened his eyes, then quickly leaned back and stowed away the scanner behind her back.

"It's you.." He mumbled, nodding to himself, "For a moment there I thought it was.. I thought it was Lucas.. It _was_ him, wasn't it?" He entreated and looked at her imploringly for an answer; for a confirmation that the memory of their chase through this labyrinth of tunnels and his son waiting for them at the end had been real. Hera swallowed hard, reluctant to hurt him with the affirmation he was so desperately searching for in her eyes. "My son did this.. Didn't he?" He asked her again, looking more and more dejected as he correctly interpreted her silence.

"Yes.." Hera finally give in, a shiver running down her spine when she saw the look of despair and painful regret in his eyes. He quickly closed them in order to hide his emotions and she instinctively turned her head away. Swallowing hard she painfully recalled throwing that knife at Lucas at the very last moment, but she didn't have the heart to bring that up now. _Or ever_. For all she knew she could have killed his son. _How could she possibly tell him about that_?

His voice broken, Commander Taylor went on in barely more than a whisper; "Are you still angry at me?" Hera looked up, not sure if his question was still directed at her or if he had voiced his innermost thoughts that must be dominated by his son. She couldn't even begin to imagine the internal strife he was in right now.

"For holding you back.. For not saving her.. Are you?" He repeated, looking pleadingly at her. He had been addressing her after all. And he hadn't been talking about Lucas. He was talking about Wash now. A part of her was strangely glad that the morphine must have loosened his tongue. If he hadn't asked her she wasn't sure she would've ever managed to speak her heart in front of him. The greater part of her hadn't even known she had wanted to for some time now.

"A part of me was…" She finally answered him and she could sense he was listening to her words intently, "But in the end, we _both_ couldn't save her. She made her choice. I guess we have to accept that. Most of all, I understand now I owe my life not just to Wash, but to you as well. Sir." Hera hoped her words conveyed the true gratitude she felt towards him. Towards them both.

Commander Taylor smiled weakly, "I have your forgiveness at least.. In the end, I think that matters more to me now than.. than _his_." His voice broke and Hera felt she was fighting back tears she hadn't noticed were pricking behind her eyes.

"This is _not_ the end, Sir. And… And we can still get your son back. It's not too late." Hera assured him stubbornly. She couldn't watch him this defeated anymore. All because _she_ had taken the bait that Lucas Taylor had dangled in front of her gullible eyes; the chance for revenge. She wouldn't get Wash back that way. Her memory would only be going further away from her grasp instead. More than ever, Hera wanted to remember Wash's life, not her violent death that kept replaying itself in her mind.

She shook her head to get rid of that ghastly memory triggered by thinking of that murderer's face. "There's still hope-" Hera began again but Commander Taylor broke in, "You don't know how long I've clung to that hope.." He sounded tired as if every word was taking a lot of effort, "It's high time I gave up-"

"No. You're wrong." She stopped him, no longer in control of a passionate wish to snap him out of it, to remind him of the good man she knew he was, "You'll _never_ give up hope. Despite everything that happened, you care for him, _still_.. Not every parent can love that unconditionally.. Mine never even saw me as a living, breathing being that needed them to hold on to. At least you taught him to love, _he_ was the one that learned how to hate. It's not your fault. You didn't fail him. You did everything you had to do. Everything you _could_ do. If it wasn't enough.. Don't blame yourself for it anymore."

Hera thought she could discern the trace of a weak smile around his lips when, head resting against the wall, his breathing deepened and slowed down as the pain killer induced sleep took him for its own again. Despite the adrenaline pumping through her body now she had allowed her emotions to get the better of her, Hera could hardly keep her own eyes open. With her last strength she dragged herself to sit beside him and pulled up her legs. Wrapping her arms around them she rested her tired head on her knees, unable to fend off the overwhelming desire to succumb to a mercifully deep, intoxicating and hopefully forgetful sleep herself.

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Thanks for reading & Let me know what you think! :=)


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

* * *

 **CHAPTER 18**

 **Revelations**

 **HE** had barely opened his eyes when the flashlight spluttered and died, leaving him practically blind. He reached for his blaster and switched on its glaring light. Wincing from the sudden brightness hurting his eyes, Nathaniel quickly swapped it for his own flashlight which, up until now, had been attached to his belt, patiently waiting for his time to shine. And it did it splendidly now; a soft pale beam of precious light. He placed it upside down next to its predecessor and threw an enquiring look at Hera next to him. She was fast asleep with the jacket he had returned to her when he had woken up some time before still tightly wrapped around her shoulders.

 _How frail she looked_ , huddled against the wall for support. For a split second her vulnerability caused a stinging sensation in his chest. _Would they make it out of here alive?_ An icy chill ran down his spine when he realized what a close call it had already been. He had been ready to face Lucas on his own, but he had forgotten he wasn't the only one that might harbor feelings of revenge. Nathaniel clutched a fist and pressed it against his chest where his heart was starting to throb violently now fresh guilt was threatening to burn holes in it.

He wasn't different from Hera in this. He couldn't forgive his son for what he'd done either. And he sure as hell couldn't blame her for chasing after him in an attempt to give justice a hand. As much as it pained him, Lucas needed to pay for his crimes. But he would need to be the one to make sure that he did. _Better deal with the here and now first though_ , he reprimanded himself inwardly. After all, they definitely weren't out of the woods yet. Not by a long road.

 _How much time would have passed already_ , he thought without really wanting to know the answer to that question. Despite his best intentions to stay awake he had apparently dozed off again. For a moment longer Nathaniel allowed himself time to adjust to the shadowy tunnels they were in and tried turning his ankle this way and that, which he thankfully managed to do relatively easily again. He carefully got up and hopped somewhat rigidly around on one leg while still leaning against the wall. Then he gradually put more and more weight on his ankle until he trusted it to keep him standing. Taking a few cautious steps away from the wall a sudden stab of pain made him swear out loud.

His voice bounced from the walls like distorted echoes and Hera behind him startled and woke. With a slightly confused look on her face, her eyes darted wildly around to orientate herself again. "Sir..! I-I'm sorry, sir." She blurted out the moment she spotted him, "I must have fallen asleep too." She explained needlessly, seemingly abashed about it.

"Feel better?" He asked, returning to her side and managing it with only a slight limp, which made him feel very relieved indeed.

She nodded quickly, then enquired in her turn, "How about your ankle, sir?"

"As good as new.. Well, maybe not quite. But the pain's gone. Morphine took care of that. Though I'm not sure you got the dose right.."

"Oh.. I'm sorry, sir. I never really had the opportunity to administer it before. And there wasn't really time to go over the instructions once more.." Hera admitted self-consciously, then started rummaging through her pack no doubt in search of those written instructions that were on the morphine injections.

"Ah.. Well, you didn't kill me so I guess you passed that test then." He remarked good humoredly and motioned her to put her pack away again, above all wanting to let her know he wasn't really criticizing her. _Or angry_ , for that matter. _How could he be_? He'd been out cold himself for most of the time. Leaving her alone in these dark and eerie tunnels to fend for herself when he should've been there assessing the situation and figuring out any possible escape routes with her. Well, at least he was feeling better now.

 _Thanks to her care_ , he thought with a sense of pride drumming steadily against his ribs. Once she'd settled down again he threw her a sideward glance. Even in the weak light of his flashlight he could see she wasn't feeling very well; her cheeks were flushed and her face seemed rather clammy.

"You sure you're not running a fever?" He asked, brows creased in concern. She fervently shook her head at this, wiping her face on her sleeve afterwards. Then she briefly buried it in her hands and went on to rub her eyes.

"Nightmare?" Nathaniel guessed as her behavior suddenly started to make sense to him.

"Yes.." Hera admitted reluctantly, then, even though he wouldn't have prompted her to divulge its contents she went on, "About Wash. I have a lot of those lately."

At first taken aback by her honest confession, Nathaniel soon nodded in understanding. With what he hoped was a look of comfort he went on to say, "That's understandable. Don't let them bug you too much, though. I'm sure Wash would've wanted you to move on. Wanted all of us to continue with our lives.. Even when she wouldn't be a part of it herself anymore.." He told her, his voice low and softened as he imagined this seemingly impossible task, "But then again, that's easier said than done. I'm not exactly sure I know how we can manage without her. Should've left us a manual." Nathaniel grinned despite the raw grief he still felt was there. To his relief she smiled back at him. After a silence she suddenly turned to him with a gauging look in her eyes that made him curious before he could stop himself.

"Sir? Is it okay if I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Did you.." She broke off, shook her head and then apparently made up her mind to plunge on regardless, "Did you chose me because of me or because of Wash's trust in me?"

Not expecting this question Nathaniel briefly bowed his head in contemplation, "Both." He finally answered her truthfully, "First, I trusted her judgment of you. But it didn't take me long to trust my own. If I had known that it mattered to you, I would've told you a long time ago."

"That's okay. I just.. I just wondered. Thank you. Sir."

Nathaniel returned her words of gratitude with a curt but genuine nod. Then, about to try his radio for the umpteenth time, hoping against hope it might miraculously work for a change, he became aware of sudden movement from the corner of his eye. He'd already raised his blaster when he realized his foolish paranoia was wholly out of place. "Well, I'll be damned…!" He let out in surprise and had to laugh when, out of nowhere, a myriad of tiny lights floated towards them like incredibly small, drunken paper lanterns; _fireflies_!

"I used to have a projector in my room that could mimic their little lights. But this is the first time I see the real thing." Hera looked around in wonder, then simply said; "Beautiful."

"Do you miss it?" He had asked her before deciding he would. She looked at him, not immediately understanding. "Home I mean. Back in 2149." He hurriedly clarified himself. She turned away and remained silent for a while. Just when he was about to release her from the obligation to answer his overly curious request, she opened her mouth and said with a note of conviction in her voice, "No. It was never really home, anyway."

"Because of your parents?" He could tell from her startled reaction she hadn't expected him to remember her remark about them. In fact she'd probably been hoping that, what with that generous shot of morphine, he'd been too far gone to remember. But he had. Just as he could recall her heartfelt support when he'd ranted on about his son. When he had been willing to give up..

Hera shrugged in answer to his, he feared once more, too blunt question, "They were never actually there for me. I guess I left them as I left 2149; with no wish to go back." She settled on saying in a matter of fact tone and went on with a renewed energy, "I'm not saying it's easier, here, in Terra Nova. Despite everything we've achieved we're still very much surviving in a harsh environment that absolutely has no intention to pull any punches," She indicated the tunnels they were stuck in with a jerk of her chin, "but we _do_ have a choice, to do things right again. If we adapt to this world, we live. If we don't, well, we might perish but it will just go on towards a future without us. Somehow, that just seems fairer than the dying world we left behind."

Nathaniel couldn't help smiling to himself as he thought he could hear part of his welcome speech echo through in her words. "I feel the same way. I hope we all do." He agreed heartily, then, as an unpleasant afterthought hit him added a bit sourly, "When we finally get out of here, I guess you should thank Dr. Wallace. After all, he was the one that got you here."

"Maybe I should.." She admitted, a smile curving her lips, "To be honest I never thought he would be able to keep his promise after he left for Terra Nova."

"You, uh.. You knew him well back in 2149?" He couldn't refrain himself, at the same time not sure if he really wanted to get to the bottom of where this question might lead him.

"Yes. Well, I mean, his family lived in the same dome, so.." Her voice trailed away, sparking that childish sensation of envy in him that really shouldn't be there.

"Actually, can I.. Can I just say something that's probably kind of silly?" Hera requested abruptly and looked up at him entreatingly. Slightly caught off guard and not quite sure what to expect, Nathaniel nodded.

"Ever since I got here, I looked up to both of you. I guess I've always wanted to be like her. Wash, I mean." She smiled to herself, an almost unnoticeable tug at the corner of her mouth which briefly made dimples appear in her cheeks. "And also more like you, sir." She added earnestly.

"A little less gray surely." Nathaniel joked, not even remembering the last time someone had given him something this closely resembling a compliment and trying hard to find her less endearing now she had. Not to mention the fact that he hardly deserved praise.

"Mmm, the gray is okay, maybe with less of a beard. It suits you, but I doubt it will look as nice on me.. Sir. " She replied with an amused glint shining through in her eyes.

"I see.. Well, I do hope you're not fishing for another promotion. Just made it to Sergeant, in case you've forgotten." He reminded her teasingly, but wasn't surprised with her sober and dutiful reply as if he had truly meant to chastise her, "I'm not, sir. And I haven't."

"Good." Nathaniel repressed a broad grin and cleared his throat now his mind was wandering more and more away from the hopeless situation they were still in but on which he needed to focus.

"Well.. On to more earthly matters. Did you eat something yet? Didn't think so." He filled in for her before Hera could even open her mouth to answer, seeing through her in instant when she had eyed the meagre rations between them, brows furrowed in instant worry. He started emptying his pockets to make sure there really was nothing edible left in them, then turned towards the miserable feast laid out between them.

"Here, tuck in." He said encouragingly and tossed her one of the power bars that were still stapled on top of each other resembling some strange cake, "Might as well have ourselves some dinner, after all, we already got the candlelight." Nathaniel jerked his head towards the fireflies around them that were still bobbing up and down as if they were decorative lights riding an invisible wave.

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Not wanting to eat away their entire stock, skimpy as it was, Nathaniel washed it down with some water and, to get his mind of his still hungry stomach, tried his radio once again. When nothing but static met his ears he seriously wondered why he still even bothered trying and was of a mind to throw the damn thing away.

"Any luck?" Hera asked him, clearing away the wrapper

of the power bar she'd been eating. He shook his head in defeat.

"I'll take watch now, you sleep a bit more, sir." She suggested with an unusual confidence. Without wanting to diminish her newly found strength he shook his head again.

"No, I've had more than my fill already. You take some rest now." Without waiting for her to undoubtedly argue back he grabbed his pack and started to look through its contents in search of something that could be useful. Now that the radios were out and both their watches weren't working either, making their scanning function impossible too, he was desperate to find something with which they could at least attempt to get out of here.

"C'mon.." He muttered to himself under his breath with a growing frustration, taking everything out of his pack but inevitably dumping it on the 'useless-when-stuck-in-an-complex-structure-of-underground-tunnels' pile that kept growing. The moment he took out his weathered, oaken chess set he almost dropped it at Hera's sharp intake of breath. Looking up he saw her eyes were glued to the thing in something close to joyful ecstasy.

"Belonged to my grandmother, best chess player in the family." He explained when she continued to take in every inch of the small wooden box as if it was a treasure chest filled with gold.

"You play chess? Sir?" She exclaimed with brute honesty.

"Why, that was quite the tone of surprise there, Sergeant." He slid open the lid, took out the knight and deftly turned it over in his hands, "Didn't think I was smart enough, did ya?"

"No, sir." She hastily shook her head at his insinuation, adding with her cheeks a fiery red, "Just didn't think you'd have the time."

"Very diplomatic answer." Nathaniel nodded approvingly, "I'll take it. Tell you what, if you can beat me, you can take the next shift. Doesn't seem like there's anything else we can do but wait anyway."

"Yes, sir."

"But if I win.." He indicated himself with his thumb then pointed his finger meaningfully at her instead, "You've got to lay off the 'sirs' for a while," He warned her and added in jest, head cocked to one side, "seriously, you're gonna hurt yourself if you keep this up."

"Okay." He could tell she'd been on the verge of adding an automatic 'sir' but she held back just in time and simply beamed at him instead as he laid out the board and the pieces.

What must have been a good hour later, but with their watches not working there was no way to be sure, Nathaniel got to his feet; the illusion that he was any good at chess mercilessly shattered, quartered and possibly lost to him forever. He wondered whether next time he would simply order her to let him win, if only to repair his injured reputation, but at least she didn't expect him to hold up to his end of their bargain and sleep away another couple of hours. By now they were both getting pretty tired of sitting around. Of waiting purposelessly. And the worst part was of course that he couldn't refrain from thinking up every possible scenario of what could be happening up there; each of them only making him more anxious to get out of here and find out just what the hell was going on.

Gathering their things in the hope they might not have to return they soon headed out towards the other end of the tunnels. Hera had told him about the pile of rubble awaiting them there, but now he could walk again he wanted to check it out for himself as well. Maybe they could find something to stud the ceiling and walls with and start the laborious task of clearing away the debris; rock by rock. Despite the obvious danger that involved, he figured they were both ready to face that risk in order to get out.

Once they got to the other end Nathaniel halted and let his weapons light shine over the small, sharp edged, boulders, flat stones and pebble-sized rocks that stubbornly obstructed the way forward. A heavy sigh escaped his lungs and he thoughtfully chewed his lip. A second later, he looked back over his shoulder when a sudden burst of static pierced the silence.

Hera shrugged apologetically, still playing around the radio in her hand. "Nothing." She told him, her tense voice betraying her uneasiness and growing frustration, "If only I hadn't.." She paused, apparently finishing the sentence in her head when she bend to pick up a round pebble from the dust covered ground for she continued in the same exasperation, "Then we wouldn't even have been in this mess..!" The tiny rock flew through the air and ricocheted off the wall with a loud 'tink' as she threw it in annoyed impatience.

Nathaniel approached her, thinking of how in the world he was going to calm her down and give her hope when he himself was running out of it too, when she held up her hand, making him stop in his tracks.

"Wait…" She mumbled in thought and looked around for another pebble. Once she'd found one he watched her throw it again, this time aiming a little to the right.

"Sir? Did you hear that?" She asked him, sounding hopeful. Not sure what he was supposed to be listening for in the first place, Nathaniel took a few steps closer, brows slightly furrowed in apprehension. Unperturbed, Hera repeated the process one more time and laughed; in his mind a bit over excitedly considering the fact she was throwing stones against a wall. He was all for hobbies, but he could hardly imagine this one to be that much fun.

Trying to look as if he didn't think she was losing her mind, he cleared his throat, "You, eh.. You didn't happen to try a bit of that morphine yourself, did ya?" He prompted casually.

"Uh.. No.." She answered him somewhat taken aback and drew out the word. Then her attention snapped back to the wall again and a moment later she had her fingers feverishly running all over it.

"What are you looking for-"

"Sir. Could you give me some extra light?" She overrode him, seemingly absorbed in familiarizing herself with every crevice and structure of the wall. He obeyed silently, knowing it could be worth the wait if he but trusted her apparent hunch. Besides, it wasn't like he had anything else to go on at the moment; and he wasn't exactly looking forward to tackle that pile of rubble back there either.

There was a sound of a dull and muffled clunk seemingly coming from within the wall itself, followed by a triumphant shout from Hera. Immediately on his guard he threw an apprehensive look over her shoulder. When she reached out with both hands he stopped her, forcing her to step back with his arm held in front of her barring the way forward and shepherding her to stand at a distance behind him. Nathaniel waited for her to raise her sonic pistol instead and then slung his own on his back before he placed his hands on the cold and gravelly wall.

As he increased his force on it, throwing in his weight for good measure as well, the wall slowly gave way accompanied by a rough scraping sound of rock sliding over rock. With a last mighty push he shoved it back enough to create an opening that allowed them to see what was beyond.

Behind him Hera had stepped up closer to him and the pale beam of her weapon's light filtered effortlessly through the crack, hitting an almost solid darkness at first but it gradually lifted when he switched on the light on his own weapon and trained it at the same spot. As the faint brightness grew in strength it chased off the black canvas covering everything beyond and which must have ruled the secret passageway they'd stumbled upon for a considerable time in utter surety. Nathaniel could hardly believe what his eyes were seeing. There was another tunnel branching off of the one they'd been trapped in and if he wasn't mistaken only a few meters ahead it dove down thanks to a steep stairs brutally hewn out of the earth itself it seemed.

"What the..-" He exclaimed, trying to make sense of it all and edging closer to examine their find with a scrutinizing look on his face. Meanwhile, Hera could hardly contain her excitement. "Sir, this could be an escape route.." She suggested, carefully attempting to not sound too hopeful about it seeing it might well be their only and last chance of getting out of here.

Nathaniel slowly nodded, studying the possible way ahead though the fact that the stairs was going down and not up definitely made him feel uneasy. Glancing over his shoulder he locked eyes with Hera, sharing in her in silent but contagious anticipation despite the possible dangers they could be walking into if they were to follow this newly found tunnel. Painfully aware that they didn't have much of a choice he eyed the pile of rubble to their left, then diverted his gaze to the shadowy path in front of him.

Settling to opt for the lesser of two apparent evils he allowed his eagerness to explore what was likely their only shot at getting out of here to take the lead on his decision, "Okay.. Let's see where it leads to..." Nathaniel told her as he moved forward and cautiously slipping through the opening, raising his blaster as he went just in case something bad was about to happen. _After all, in this world, surviving never came easy and definitely not without nasty surprises jumping out at you_ …

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Thanks for Reading & Let me know what you think! :=)


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Sorry for the wait, school's crazy right now ;p**

 **EFBT: Thank you once again for a lovely review! :) Yes, I thought if they're physically stuck in the one location that would give them an opportunity to talk and open up a bit and being stuck in an underground labyrinth that could well collapse on top of them and bury them alive seemed as good a location as any.. A tad evil, I know.. ;p hopefully their thoughts and reaction to each other are making it clear already what they feel for each other even though they're not saying it out loud yet and are still very much in the dark (literally, hah!) about their mutual affection.. There'll be Malcolm and Lucas mainly in this chapter so you're about to find out what's happening on their end, enjoy!**

 **Fenrisulven13: Nope they didn't expect it that's for sure! I guess the Phoenix Group were a little too confident of themselves and they paid a heavy price for it ;) I'm glad you're liking the story so far, to be honest having just finished the rough draft of the sequel to this story there's some things about the plot I would like to change but I decided against rewriting everything because the whole process has been a huge learning experience for me and I feel I need to leave the original plot in place and just expand on it in later parts.. Anyways, thanks for the review!**

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 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

 **CHAPTER 19**

 **Taken**

 **HE** watched them go, unable to move and an overwhelming feeling of foreboding filled him when they were irrevocably swallowed up by the shadows around them.

"Wait! Sir!" Dunham called after them, still in the middle of dusting himself off, "Commander?!" His shrill voice turned a notch higher now they were but all too obviously left behind.

"We have to go after them!-" He started but Malcolm interrupted him, impatiently waving a hand, "And do _what_ , exactly?! Get ourselves lost too?"

Dunham shook his head in disbelief, his apparent disappointment effectively hurting Malcolm's pride whether he wanted it to or not, "Look," He began, calmer this time, "This is not the time to act without thinking first. Truth is, we have no idea what's going on; up there," He jabbed an angry finger at the ceiling, " _or_ down here…" He finished with a wary glance back over his shoulder.

Dunham nodded reluctantly, brows furrowed in frustration, "I know that, Doctor. But we need to do _something_ -" Malcolm broke in again, "And we _will_. I just don't think rushing in blindly after them is the best course to take right now. How will that help them? What we need is back up." He argued and the resigned look in Dunham's eyes told him he'd gotten through to him at last.

Malcolm cleared his throat before he went on, "Now.. Do you think it's safe for us to go back up?" He motioned to the stairs, trying to look anywhere but at Dr. Johnson's dead body as he asked this though he saw Dunham flick an abhorred look in that direction.

"You're kidding, right?" He exclaimed accordingly, his voice uncharacteristically harsh and laced with irony. As if to support his words scuffling noises accompanied by shouts and outraged cries mingled with the unmistakable sounds of blaster fire which suddenly drifted through the open hatch above. They both wheeled around to face it, staring apprehensively up at it.

"Right. Stupid question." Malcolm muttered darkly under his breath, grabbing his hair with both hands. For a moment they stood there; motionless and tense in fearful anticipation. Then Malcolm let out a long breath in preparation for the inevitable conclusion he was about to voice, "There's nothing for it.. We have to go up there and get some help." He said and his eyes met Dunham's, "No matter what's waiting for us.." The young Corporal agreed, determination returning to his eyes. They both nodded, resolved about what they were about to do. The noises of fighting outside were steadily growing louder. _No time like the present_ , Malcolm thought wryly and accepted Dunham's pulse rifle as he himself readied his blaster. Then, heart beating in his throat, they started to climb the stairs.

His shoulders hunched, Malcolm rushed out of the hatch a second after Dunham. Clumsily raising his gun he whisked around in search of any sign of danger. There was no one to be seen, though the sounds of shouts and occasional weapon's fire were still drawing nearer. He nodded at Dunham and followed his lead as he carefully took a few steps forward. Nothing happened, so they increased their pace and not much later pressed themselves against either side of what had once been a doorway. Malcolm peered around it and let his eyes wander over the square beyond; there were several bodies scattered across it. _Sixers by the looks of it_ , he realized and squeezed his eyes to make sure. Seeing they usually set their weapons to stun, not kill, they had to be unconscious and nothing worse.

Glad he wasn't looking out on the result of a violent massacre he ran a hand through his hair and let out a sigh of relief. Then someone suddenly shouted 'There!' and a shot rented the air; the bullet hitting the doorpost he was leaning against. He retreated his head instinctively and fell back, panting heavily while chips of stone and grit were flying everywhere now another shot followed. _Okay, clearly some people were shooting to kill_ , he thought and his heart started to race even harder, hammering uncomfortably against his ribs as if it was trying to get out.

"Doc! Are you okay?" Dunham inquired with a note of panic in his voice.

"I'm fine! I'm.. fine.." Malcolm told him, feeling his head and reassuring himself that he was when his hands came back with no blood on them.

"We need to join the others." Dunham pointed out, jerking his head to the right and saying at the same time, "Better not go that way, it's where the Sixers have taken up position. Let me check."

"Careful!" Malcolm shouted halfway raising himself and wanting to stop him, but Dunham had simply dug out a small mirror from one of the many pockets on his tac vest and now grinned at his anxiety, "Don't worry, Doc. I'm wasn't going to stick my head out."

Malcolm simply nodded at this, thinking; _Yes, because that would be stupid.. And also exactly what I just did.._ He watched as Dunham used the mirror to gaze in both directions alternately, then there was another shot and it shattered; on of its razor sharp fragments missing Malcolm's face by inches.

Dunham cursed, brows furrowed, then threw away the remaining shard he was still holding in his hand. "Looks like they've both dug in." He reported, more to himself than to Malcolm who could only guess at just how much of a problem the apparent stalemate they'd stumbled upon was going to be. Growing nervous he checked his watch; already five minutes had passed since the Commander and Hera had taken off, chasing whatever it was that they'd seen. Malcolm rubbed his chin in frustration, they were losing time they _didn't_ have.

"Ready?" Dunham asked him, looking far from it himself. Malcolm eyed his pale but determined face for a while then nodded and got to his feet, carefully avoiding exposing his head, or any other equally vital part, to enemy eyes. Staying low they headed back and soon found a part of the wall to their left which had crumbled away to such a degree they could easily clamber through to the other side; closer to where the others were making a stand.

In silence they quickly moved on; Dunham scouting a few yards ahead and Malcolm following in his wake. They were making steady progress without running into anyone. The sounds of fighting and shouting had died down too, a sign that both parties were deeply entrenched by now and unwilling to show themselves. Just when Malcolm was starting to believe they were actually going to make it he got the unsettling sensation that despite their best efforts, trouble had inevitably found them.

His fears were confirmed the moment he could hear the tell-tale _clicking_ sound of someone releasing the safety clip of a gun. An instant later he could feel its barrel pressed roughly at the center of his back, right between his shoulder blades. Dunham spun around, aiming his blaster in the same movement; finger close to the trigger. Their eyes locked for a split second; Malcolm tried with all his might to convey to him to make a run for it; to go and get the help he was sure Commander Taylor and Hera could use by now. But Dunham shook his head, barely noticeable but resolutely, clearly unwilling to leave him behind in the hands of the enemy.

"Let him go!" He yelled towards the tall and broad man behind Malcolm, who was strangely glad he could only guess at his assailant's intimidating appearance by the long shadow he cast on the ground before him but which already hinted at his physical superiority. He wanted to open his mouth, shout at Dunham for still standing there when he needed to turn around and get out of here. But he never got the chance.

All at once a handful of people joined them. They had encircled them in no time at all; each with a gun pointing at Dunham. He wheeled around trying to decide who to aim for; but being outnumbered and surrounded as they were Malcolm could tell he soon realized it was no use. For a brief moment he admired the will to fight still shining through rebelliously in the Corporal's eyes, but then that fire was all but extinguished as together they saw someone stepping through the ranks of Sixers who didn't need a gun to look intimidating; Mira. _Great, just the person we need right now_ , Malcolm sighed warily and lowered his head in defeat.

"Don't move!" Dunham warned her as she approached him, apparently not about to give up just yet. He trained his blaster at the Sixers' leader and met her stern eyes bravely as she halted in front of him.

"Funny. I was just about to say the same thing." Mira remarked, remaining icily calm despite Dunham's blaster still pointing at her heart. Malcolm realized a split second too late what she meant. Without a visible command one of the Sixers had soundlessly stepped up behind Dunham.

"Watch out! Behind you!" Malcolm shouted, desperately wanting to help when the Sixer raised his arm. It was too late; he struck Dunham hard on the back of the head with the butt of his weapon before he even had a chance to turn around and defend himself. Malcolm watched in horror as he crumpled to the ground and lay there, unmoving; his resistance brutally quenched.

"There was no need for that!" Malcolm yelled indignantly, unable to contain his anger, "He was about to surrender-"

" _Surrender_?" Mira repeated, turning to him and raising a questioning eyebrow, "Didn't look like it to me. In case you hadn't noticed, he _was_ pointing a gun at me."

"So were you!" He snapped in frustration and waved his hands angrily in her direction; forgetting the pulse rifle he was still holding uselessly in one of them. The man behind him instantly reminded him of his mistake and grabbed him by the throat, locking his head behind his fleshy elbow. Mira didn't bat an eyelash during it all, she simply walked up to him at a leisurely pace.

"Give it to me." She demanded, stretching out her hand to him, palm up. Malcolm tried to swallow, failed and gagged with his windpipe constricted. Unmoved by the predicament he was in Mira simply lifted her chin and fixed him with a deadly stare. He hesitated, but his lungs were running out of air and his vision was starting to blur. Barely managing to lift his arm, he handed over the rifle. A malicious grin curved her lips for a moment, then she turned her back on him, ordering the others; "Get this one up," She jerked her head towards Dunham still lying face down on the ground at her feet, "Bind them both."

They headed out soon after. Mira had them both walk just behind her, roughly pushed and prodded along by the others, forcing them to keep up with her long strides. Malcolm flicked a worried glance at Dunham; he was barely conscious and bleeding profusely from his head wound. He wasn't sure how he was managing to keep on his feet; sometimes he missed a step and lurched dangerously to one side, but there was always a Sixer there to push him forward again. Malcolm tried to move closer to him, jaw set in anticipation of being prematurely stopped by a Sixer. Expecting a blow to the head or worse any second he craftily managed to get nearer to Dunham. Then, hoping against hope he still wouldn't be stopped he unceremoniously grabbed the Corporal's arm and swung it around his shoulders. His heart was hammering in his chest but none of the Sixers did anything. Apparently they weren't going to stop him supporting the other prisoner if that meant less work for them.

Despite the fact that the sun was on its way to melt away behind the horizon, already causing the air to rapidly cool down, Malcolm soon puffed and started to sweat under the heavy weight on his shoulders. Together they staggered along until Mira suddenly turned right and stepped out onto the square. The moment she had Malcolm could hear weapons being charged and one or two muffled shouts no doubt alarming the rest of their coming. Instinctively he wanted to halt, keep away from the warzone they were about to enter, but the Sixers behind them roughly shoved the both of them forward. Wondering what on earth Mira was playing at, Malcolm followed her as she strode on seemingly fearless towards a caved in wall behind which he could already discern Sergeant Reilly and some of the others.

"That's far enough!" A voice suddenly boomed over the square; an instant later Reilly appeared from behind the wall, sonic blaster at the ready. Despite the clear warning Mira took another few steps before she stopped, raising her hands halfway in mock surrender as she did. Behind her Malcolm and Dunham stumblingly came to a halt, the latter leaning heavily on the lean man next to him and both catching their breath.

"You might want to consider being a bit more civil," Mira commented acidly, "After all, I'm only returning something you seemed to have lost." She stepped back and at the same moment Malcolm felt two hands forcefully push him forward so that he and Dunham fell to their knees at Mira's feet. She walked around them, looking down on them as if they were mere prey in her game of life and death.

"Step away from them.." Sergeant Reilly demanded with barely contained fury and raised her blaster. Unimpressed, Mira unfeelingly grabbed Malcolm by his hair, a second later he could feel the cold end of a barrel pressing against his temple.

"Drop it!" Reilly shouted, several of the others behind her coming forward and aiming their weapons too. The Sixers responded in kind, all of them stepping up and charging their guns. Malcolm struggled against Mira's grip, trying desperately to give Reilly some kind of sign that he wasn't worth the sacrifice. _Walk away, damn it_! He thought in frustration, when at last Reilly's gaze shifted from Mira to himself. "You need to find the Commander! He's in the tunnels with Hera! They're probably walking into a trap. They _need_ help! Go-" He urged her but was cut short when Mira pulled his head even further back, his hair close to being ripped off it anytime now. With a searing pain in his scalp, Malcolm strained his lungs to make his voice work again but nothing but a dull cry passed his lips.

"Wait!" There was a definite not of panic in Reilly's voice now and she held up her hand. The others retreated reluctantly, a vengeful fire still shining through in their eyes. A moment later the Sixers lowered their weapons too. Mira remained where she was, looking boldly at the Sergeant still aiming for her head; daring her to take the shot. A tense silenced followed in which Mira fixed her eyes on her with an almost predatory stare that could've had a braver man cowered into submission. Sergeant Reilly held her ground, however, and simply continued to scowl over the rim of her weapon at her belligerent adversary.

"Surrender.. And they live.." Mira stated, her voice a dangerous growl.

"And we _all_ live." Reilly insisted assertively, clearly not of a mind to negotiate on that point. Conceding, Mira nodded once, and something like understanding passed between them. Slowly Reilly lowered her weapon and knelt down to lay it on the ground before her feet. Soon after the others left the cover of the crumbled wall and followed her example; shoulders hung low in defeat but heads, like their Sergeant's, still raised in proud dignity.

Not until her band of tough, and above all, victorious looking Sixers had collected all of their weapons did Mira release Malcolm from her grip and put her gun away in its holster on her upper thigh. She then ordered everyone's hands to be bound and, like a miserable parade, had them walk in the center of a ring of Sixers who kept throwing them not too friendly glances. Once they had reached the dilapidated building that had acted as their HQ Mira made them sit on one end of the room, while more than a dozen Sixers were stationed to keep them subdued, which, considering they held them at gunpoint, wasn't a very hard thing to do.

Arms crossed across her chest, Malcolm involuntarily shuddered as Mira eyed her catch with a greedy satisfaction in her eyes. Then, without warning, there was a dull sound of a faraway explosion, immediately followed by another. The ground under them shook and dust fell down from the wooden beams above. Covering his eyes against it Malcolm coughed, mind racing and heart beating when he feared that whatever had just happened, it couldn't possibly bode well for Hera and Commander Taylor. _How in the world were they going to get to them now_ , he thought as a sense of helplessness filled him. Looking up he saw Mira still standing there, towering over them; she hadn't even blinked.

"Go get our mad scientist," She ordered and, with an annoyed jerk of her chin, indicated a slender woman with feathers tied into her fiery red hair, " _if_ he's still alive." She added nonchalantly, sounding like she didn't much care either way.

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Thanks for Reading & Let me know what you think! :=)


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

 **CHAPTER 20**

 **Lost**

 **MALCOLM** frowned in concentration as he carefully cleaned Dunham's head wound, feeling more nervous by the minute thanks to two pairs of watchful eyes; one belonged to the Sixer, who'd untied his hands for this very purpose, and the other to Sergeant Reilly who looked over his shoulder and kept hissing he was doing it wrong.

"You do it then!" Malcolm eventually snapped at Reilly. Seeing the hurt look in her eyes he realized at once that the same sick worry that had tied a knot in his stomach had made her act this restlessly. _He of all people should know people could act annoying when they were anxious about those they cared about_ , he thought wryly and tried not to recall the punch in the face he'd received for asking their guards for water, food and what he'd called 'proper care' every other minute. _That black eye of his must have started to look impressive by now_ , he figured with the bitter taste of irony on his palate. He swallowed, casting his eyes down and fidgeting with the wet cloth in his hands for a moment. "Sorry." He finally apologized in a small voice to Reilly and turned back to Dunham again once she'd acknowledged his regret with a sympathetic nod.

His patient simply groaned when he continued tending to his wound, but with a relief washing over him Malcolm noticed the color had returned to the young Corporal's face. _He's going to be okay_ , he assured himself and handed the bloodstained towel and unused bandages over to the Sixer who had been impatiently waiting for him to finish. With a grunt the oversized man snatched it all away from him and stalked away. Another Sixer immediately took his place to stand guard over the prisoners. Malcolm grimaced. It almost made him feel claustrophobic, the way they kept their eyes on every single one of them. Although he didn't want to admit it to himself yet, he doubted escaping was going to be a viable option. Looking over at Reilly, who was biting her lip and shaking her head to herself as if she too had been trying to imagine the unfeasible task, Malcolm sighed in defeat.

At that moment, a Sixer walked in and headed straight over to Mira, who received him by simply raising up an eyebrow at him. "Lennox is coming." He reported, then, in an answer to her unspoken question, hastily added, "She's found him." Still not saying anything Mira cocked her head to the side, staring demandingly at the man in front of her. He visibly hesitated, then cleared his throat and said with an uncomfortable look on his sweaty face, "Alive." At this Mira squeezed her eyes as if contemplating on whether or not to be disappointed. Noise coming from outside made her get to her feet and walk to the door hanging loosely from its hinges.

"Took you a while.." She icily greeted the red haired woman, staring her down. "He needed medical attention." Lennox explained gruffly in her turn, then stepped aside to let in the man following in her wake; Lucas Taylor.

Malcolm had almost gasped at the sight of him but he could just in time refrain himself. Seeing that face a string of very bad memories came flooding back. Forcing himself to remain in the present, he stared intently at Lucas, taking in every inch of him; _he looked like hell_. Apart from the usual deranged look in his eyes, sweat was trickling down his temples and he was as pale as a ghost. Malcolm also noticed he was clutching his stomach and grimacing with every movement he made. Without acknowledging Mira was even there Lucas walked passed her and came towards them, moving slowly but determinedly.

"I see you managed to keep up your end of the bargain." He told Mira, letting his eyes wander over their prisoners, most of whom stared back in silent anger, which didn't seem to bother him in the least, in fact it only made his smile widen more when he went on, "You know, if you keep this up, you might be reunited with that lovely kid of yours very soon indeed.." He turned around to face her, both their stares so intense Malcolm feared it could kill if it accidentally strayed to someone else.

Lucas walked over and stopped inches away from her, "Good job." He whispered with the disturbing affection a mad man would show his even crazier dog. Lucas patted her approvingly on her shoulders while Mira, her eyes throwing daggers at this point, crossed her hands demonstratively across her chest. Lucas simply grinned, let go of her shoulders and shrugged in cold indifference. Meanwhile Malcolm shifted in an effort to get closer so he wouldn't miss a word of their conversation. From the corner of his eye he could see Reilly doing the same. Holding his breath he strained his ears and listened as Mira leaned back and arrogantly lifted her chin; _never a good sign_ , Malcolm remembered with a shiver running down his spine.

"What about your part of the deal?" Mira inquired in an icily calm tone.

"Well, as you can see, I'm still alive. Thank you for appreciating that fact." He smiled at her though there was no warmth but only reproach and loathing in it and added, "Wish I could say the same of my dad.. Well, actually I don't."

At this Malcolm and Reilly took in a sharp breath almost in unison; anxious to have misheard him.

"Heard that, did you Doctor?" Lucas asked him and turned around, a vicious glint sparked in his eyes as he met Malcolm's, "I suppose I ought to punish you for that petty crime of eavesdropping.. But then again, maybe you have a right to know. Perhaps all of you do." His arm swept the room in a grand gesture as if he was about to address his poor miserable subjects. Malcolm felt his blood boil and his anger give him the strength he needed to stand up. He could hear Reilly behind him whisper pleadingly to him but he ignored it.

Instead he fixed his eyes on Lucas who slowly approached him with the air of a king bestowing on him the privilege of his personal attention. Malcolm wanted to stop that man with everything he had from uttering the words he was incredibly afraid of him saying. Nonetheless, Lucas opened his mouth and, his voice a sly sneer, began; "Your precious Commander…is _dead_."

These harsh words echoing in his mind Malcolm fought with the rope tied around his hands, wanting to throw it around the neck of the man in front of him who went on undisturbed by the shock that rippled through the room at his words, "And so is that little mouse, Hallows." He mimicked holding a struggling mouse by its tail and dropping it down his throat with malicious joy. Reilly cursed while Dunham and Evans held back Scott who looked livid and ready to tear Lucas apart. Hernandez, Miller and the others simply looked too stunned to move or say anything. Malcolm swayed on the spot, not able to believe it. Not _wanting_ to believe it. _They couldn't be dead_ , he desperately repeated to himself. _He's lying_..!

"Oh, no, no.." Lucas' expression changed to that of someone genuinely worried about the devastating effects of what he'd said, making Malcolm longing to spit at his terrible and growingly distorted face. "Don't worry. I'm sure they didn't feel it much.. When all the world around them exploded and they were buried alive." He assured them with feigned concern, "You must be proud, you understand, I-I know I am," He sniggered, sounding increasingly delusional, his eyes wide as if he could see something they couldn't, "To have such a beautiful grave; worthy of a pharaoh, deep underground in the dark surrounded by useless trinkets that will long outlive them.." He seemed to savor that thought for a moment then stepped closer to Malcolm who had started shaking by now, avid with rage.

Lucas leaned forward and whispered confidentially in his ear, "I'm sorry she had to die too, really I am." He straightened again and looked him in the eye with scornful pity, "Such a beautiful young mouse.."

" _You…_ " Malcolm began, his voice trembling with burning hatred, but Lucas stopped him and tapped his finger teasingly on his nose, shaking his head.

"It had to be done." He explained in a tone as if even a child could grasp as much. Then he turned to face the others again, saying, "I had to prove to you that the man you all believed in could be killed.. He was _not_ a legend. _Not_ a hero. Not even a _true_ leader. In the end, even the great Nathaniel Taylor was nothing more than a mortal man when I _finally_ ground his pathetic bones to dust." Lucas' voice had swollen to a furious shout as he clenched a raised fist as if he'd crushed his father's very soul in it.

Malcolm finally gave in to his feeble legs and fell down to his knees in utter misery. Lucas merely laughed at this, then, satisfied with the pain he'd given his prisoners he threw them one last demeaning look filled with contempt, and turned around to join Mira and the other Sixers.

Malcolm shook his head in numb denial. He looked at Dunham next to him and saw the same unbearably heavy sense of guilt and, above all, failure reflected in his eyes. _They'd failed them_ , he thought with painful regret stabbing at his heart. _And now they were dead_.. He winced and closed his eyes; for the moment simply too lost to know what to do. After all _, how could they really be lost to them forever_ …?

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Malcolm couldn't recall when he'd fallen asleep, but his exhaustion and grief must have played a part in it. It took some effort to pull his conscious from the strong clutches of a stifling and oppressive sleep that had paralyzed his tired body. He stirred and opened his eyes, fervently wishing that it had all been nothing but a very bad dream. Looking around at all of them still bound and huddled together to get through the cold night, reality hit him without soothing delay.

His breathing slow and quiet, Dunham was still fast asleep, no doubt due to the blow to his head yesterday. So were most of the others, except for Scott, whose eyes were staring blankly at her feet, and Sergeant Reilly sitting crossed legged next to her with a mournful expression on her usually radiant face. Malcolm guessed by the low whispers in which she spoke the latter was trying to console Scott, though he wasn't sure a single word was actually reaching her. Behind them he could discern Miller, Evans and Hernandez sleeping; Evans' arm was around Miller's shoulder and Hernandez was stirring restlessly now and then.

An overwhelming wave of pity rose up inside him and Malcolm quickly tore his eyes away from all of them before tears came flooding out. He stretched out his stiff legs in front of him, relishing the sensation but at the same time swallowing down a lump in his throat. _Crying isn't going to help_ , he told himself sternly and shook his head in order to clear it when a deep sorrow originating from somewhere in his chest threatened to cloud it. One thing was for sure, Malcolm realized as he ventured another weary glance at the others, the news of Commander Taylor and Hera's death had effectively extinguished their will to resist. For the moment at least. Though Malcolm wasn't certain they'd be given enough time to overcome their sadness and fight for the freedom stolen from them.

"Doctor.. A word.." A sharp voice close to him suddenly woke him from his dark broodings. Malcolm flinched at the whip like sound of it and looked up to find Mira standing there. She motioned to one of the guards to fetch him for her and a moment later Malcolm was uncaringly pulled up by his collar. Before he could protest he was dragged along to stand before Mira. At her curt nod the Sixer released him and returned to his spot without a word. Not knowing what to expect Malcolm chanced a careful glance back at the others; Reilly and Scott had half raised themselves in wary apprehension; the rest was still mercifully asleep.

"Ah, Doctor Wallace. Just the man I need." Malcolm whipped around as he recognized with a jolt who the voice addressing him belonged to.

"I doubt that." He replied coldly, a scowl instantly creasing his brows.

"Oh, come. No need for humility, Doctor. You might not be the brightest scientist known to mankind," Lucas paused to let the insult sink in, "but you _do_ have your uses."

Malcolm simply persisted in staring back fixedly at Lucas' taunting face, unwilling to have his anger aroused no matter how cunningly the man in front of him was trying to. Blood already starting to pump in his ears and heart beating at an increasingly wild pace, however, he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep that fury at bay.

"You see, you're going to help me, Doctor. I need to find that portal.. I know it's here. We're so close.. All you need to do is program my modifications into this scanner and.. We're done." Lucas explained with the air of a teacher encouraging a particularly dimwitted student. Taking Malcolm's continued silence as a sign of assent he smiled and said with feigned gratitude, "I knew you would help me."

"The bloody hell I will!" Malcolm hissed through gritted teeth; unable to stop himself. Lucas shook his head as if disappointed, then laid his hand on his shoulder, "Oh, you _will_." He threatened in a dark whisper. Despite his anger Malcolm felt goose bumps appear on his arms and in his neck; a result of Lucas' unsettling gift to sound outraged and vengeful even though his voice was nothing but a low grumble.

"Leave him alone!" Reilly shouted from behind him, her voice sounding shaky but determined. A hungry look in his eyes that caused mindless fear to mingle with Malcolm's rage, Lucas walked over to Reilly. He looked down at her for a moment, then, without warning, he raised his arm and struck her hard with the back of his hand.

"Ok! Ok.. Point taken.." Malcolm yelled, rushing to stand between them, his body tense with anxiety. Lucas clapped his hands as if applauding his wise decision. Then he turned around and gestured for a Sixer to follow him with Malcolm.

Before the overgrown man could grab him, he quickly whisked around. Apart from a glowingly red right cheek, Reilly seemed to be okay, though it hurt him more than he cared to admit how the defiant light in her eyes had been dimmed. Scott had shuffled closer to her in support and most of the others were waking up around them; looking confused and somewhere between upset and resentful. With a last helpless glance at Reilly, he turned around again as the Sixer roughly started to push him forward.

As the day steadily grew hotter and hotter Malcolm unbuttoned the collar of his blouse and wiped his forward with its obliging sleeve. His tongue was thick with thirst and his fingers cramped up every now and then as he typed in another set of Lucas' complex algorithms. He had been slaving away at it for hours already; and as of yet to no avail. A couple of hours ago he'd thought he'd been finished with preparing the scanner but when Lucas had come to examine his work nothing had happened. Although he had scolded him and treated him to a horrid collection of threats which sufficiently motivated him to keep going, Malcolm had to admit to himself that programming the scanner might be an impossible task. Lucas' calculations were incredibly complicated, and he wasn't exactly about to argue they could be incorrect. That's why he continued to focus solely on his part of the job; retracing his steps and beginning the entire procedure all over again.

It was already growing colder when Malcolm finally managed to complete the programming. This time the scanner seemed to accept it and Lucas cradled it caringly in his arms for a moment. Hoping against hope that the scanner would still fail Lucas so his no doubt devious plans would be thwarted too, Malcolm observed his disturbing ecstasy and involuntarily started to feel sick. Then Lucas barked an order to a Sixer standing nearby. Before Malcolm knew it he was being hoisted of a crate that had been serving as his chair and manhandled back to join the others. A moment later he was unceremoniously dropped at Reilly's feet.

No words passed between them as she handed him half of a power bar and shared what little they had been given to eat and drink. He gratefully accepted the meagre dinner wanting to say something but glad he didn't have to now he was simply feeling too low-spirited and exhausted to talk. He ate and drank, bending all of his will power to not think about Hera and the Commander; or their own possibly impending doom until the last light of the day fled. Then, in the coming dark, he soon gave up the useless struggle against a powerful urge to sleep which had tugged persistently at his consciousness.

He was rudely awoken from his restless slumber when the world outside was still pitch black. He barely responded as someone called his name. Then, he could feel two pairs of strong hands lift him up by both his arms and together with their rough guidance stumbled to the corner where he'd been working the day before.

"Fix it." Was all Lucas said to him once they'd pushed him down on a crate opposite from him. Struggling to keep his eyes open, Malcolm picked up the scanner before him. The screen was flashing angrily at him as if it was experiencing some kind of problem he was no doubt being blamed for causing. Under the unnerving stare of Lucas he started to figure out why the scanner wasn't successfully scanning and finding the portal, which, he reluctantly had to agree with Lucas there, had to be in the vicinity. The only other logical option was that it had been destroyed before it could open long enough to be picked up; buried underground as it were and shielded from the scanner's reach by a mountain of debris. Malcolm shook his head in despair, not wanting to visualize what else lay buried there. _Who_ else..

"You're trying my patience, Doctor.." Lucas snarled, his voice tiger-like and intimidating. He got up and started pacing up and down. Malcolm hastily set to work again. It took some time, in particular for his sluggish mind to wake up, but then he suddenly realized the data he'd been treating as an error, wasn't wrong at all. He nervously changed the search perimeters and waited. First nothing much happened but then the scanner bleeped happily and on the first fuzzy screen the hazy outlines of a seemingly deeply buried chamber gradually grew more distinct. Like a mirage it briefly remained an indistinct blur, then Malcolm had no doubt in his mind he was looking at a structure at the heart of the ruins they were in; a structure invisible to the naked eye because it was buried so deep, but unmistakably there.

The sound of approaching footsteps entered his busy thoughts and he startled. When he looked up Mira and Lucas were headed straight for him. Malcolm desperately tried to think of a way to keep his find a secret from their prying eyes but the sudden light kindled in his gave him away before he could do anything. Lucas snatched the scanner out of his hands and threw a hungry look at it. With Mira watching passively over his shoulder it didn't take him long to arrive at the same conclusion as Malcolm. The greediness in his eyes steadily growing until he seemed about to devour the scanner just by looking at it, Lucas laughed a hollow laugh and ran a shaking hand through his hair.

"What is it?" Mira demanded to know, impatiently eying him with a growing distrust. Lucas turned around abruptly and triumphantly waved the scanner at her.

"It was underground all along.. We just didn't go deep enough.. But apparently the people that must have come here before us have.. And there can only be one reason for that.." He said, sounding like a man at long last victorious.

"What are you talking about?" Mira asked, narrowing her eyes and throwing him a doubtful look.

Lucas shook his head in impatient disbelief as if annoyed with her blind ignorance. He let out a heavy sigh before explaining, "Seems the portal can also appear far more under the surface than I expected.." Another laugh that made the hairs in Malcolm's neck stand on end. At his last words understanding seemed to dawn on Mira's face and she opened her mouth as if to say something, then closed it again with her eyes shooting this way and that as she realized the implications of what he was saying.

Malcolm rubbed his forehead in frustration. _He should have stopped them from finding out_ , he bitterly reproached himself. Then Lucas grabbed him by the arm, simply said; "You're coming with me." and dragged him off leaving Mira without another look at her. Malcolm tried to struggle and free his arm but Lucas didn't even seem to notice as they stepped outside into an early morning with pale and weak sunlight that had just crept over the horizon.

Thanks for Reading & Let me know what you think! :=)


	21. Chapter 21

**EFBT:** **Yeah, I did feel kinda sorry for Dunham there, but Mira's too badass to just go easy on him, she's very much 'the gloves are never on' kind of a girl after all haha ;p Taylor and Hera are getting there first but they stumble on something which is not really what they (and especially Mr. Nutcase Lucas) were hoping (needing) to find. Meanwhile Malcolm's quite possibly having the worst day of his life… Whoopsy.. ;) Anyways, thanks for your elaborate review, seriously those always make my day!**

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 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

 **CHAPTER 21**

 **The First**

 **STUMBLING** on a passageway that only took them deeper underground instead of leading to their freedom had not exactly been the plan, though she couldn't help rallying a bit from the eminent hopelessness of their situation by the breathtaking sight that had met her eyes the moment they had set foot in that darkened chamber. With its low ceiling and uneven carved walls it was reminiscent of some animal's burrow and it was immediately clear to her it had been dug out crudely with tools hardly up to the task. And all of it done for the apparent purpose of storing belongings too valuable or important to have the extreme conditions above ground ruin them.

They had cautiously made their way through the cave like room, silently exploring every nook and cranny by shining their weapon's pale light on it. Scattered throughout the cool and drafty place they had found a rust-riddled anchor, some torn sheets that could have been sails, a ship's wheel with broken spokes and a delicate looking compass the needle of which kept nervously twitching towards the north.

Commander Taylor seemed less in awe and definitely not as impressed to the same degree as she was upon being surrounded by all of what had once been cherished and tangible memories of former lives that, whoever had been stranded here in the Badlands, had been cruelly ripped away from. He lit some of the torches on the wall with his ignitor so they could switch of the energy consuming lights on both their weapons then settled on going for one more round of inspection in the hope of finding something useful, gesturing for her to do the same.

Hera perfectly understood his annoyance at not having gotten any closer to escaping. A similar restlessness springing from that same frustration was starting to quench her initial enthusiasm at finding more proof of a human presence in the Badlands and by extension of the existence of the fracture long outliving their scientists' estimated time of origin.

On the verge of heading in the opposite direction Hera could hear the Commander softly swear through gritted teeth which made her glance back at him over her shoulder. He was leaning with one hand against the wall, no doubt in an attempt to temporarily take the weight of his ankle that was clearly still bothering him. Before she had formulated her concern in words, however, he had already pushed himself off of the wall, stubbornly relinquishing its support and continuing his search.

For a moment Hera hesitated, groping around in her head for possible ways she could alleviate the pain he was obviously in but she didn't dare offer another shot of morphine seeing she'd epically failed with that the last time. She briefly watched him pry a chest open with his knife in a bored sort of way to rummage through its content of richly embellished golden coins, though she could tell his mind was far away from the treasure in his hands.

Deciding it was best to follow his example, for now at least, she started in the opposite direction, almost instantly coming to a halt when she could hear the unmistakable ruffling and crinkling sound of paper underfoot. Slinging her weapon on her back Hera crouched down, picking up the tattered book lying at her feet. An impressive layer of dust had gathered on the creased cover and parchment was sticking out at odd angles now its binding seemed every bit ready to give up on its effort to hold it together and fall apart.

Interest and curiosity instantly piqued, Hera sat cross-legged on the floor, opening the book as she placed it in her lap. Momentarily forgetting all else around her she poured over half-finished plans for the settlement above ground and rudimentary maps of Terra Nova not extending much further than the Badlands and covering only a small part of the jungle it bordered.

Turning to the next page Hera held her breath when it was covered in a variety of sketches of the time fracture; some depicting it as a gate between worlds from which no one seemingly could escape whereas others had been attempts at a more scientific representation of the miraculous phenomenon. Quickly turning the page in anticipation of finding similar drawings she gasped as she realized she had opened the book to a long list of dutiful entries that chronicled the lives of those first settlers in this new world.

"What is it?" Commander Taylor's low rumbling voice suddenly broke in her thoughts. He crouched down next to her to look over her shoulder at the book in her lap.

"I think it's an account of the people that came here before us. They must have been part of the crew aboard that ship of which we got the prow." Hera reported, her eyes remaining glued to the pages before her. Basking as it was in an orange glow that the torches cast on it, she squinted her eyes to better decipher the entries dating back to the early seventeenth century. She looked up at Commander Taylor for permission to delve deeper into this and to her relief he motioned for her to continue. Turning back to the book in her hands Hera scanned the pages in the dim flickering light of the flames around them, reading parts of it out loud now and then to better reconstruct the story of those first colonists.

From what she could make out it seemed the ship had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time. It had been at the mercy of a stormy sea when the fracture had opened right before them, taking only part of it with it and transporting it instantly to the Badlands. Trapped in a world so different from their own it seemed most of the crew that had survived the treacherous voyage had believed it to be a curse dooming them to die instead of a miracle saving them to live.

Despite the hardships they faced most did manage to survive several decades in which they must have built the settlement that had now been reduced to mere ruins. Eventually, though, the entries became more and more bleak, listing diseases and lack of food that took many lives. Combined with no chances of a younger generation to appear each of the colonists had perished, simply losing the race against their own mortality.

"Bet they regretted thinking that bringing women on board was bad luck." Commander Taylor remarked with a grim grin though she could see he hadn't been untouched by the tangible account of how those first colonists much like themselves had bravely tried to survive and ultimately failed to succeed.

Hera closed the book with a dull thud, not sure what to say now it felt they had witnessed an incredibly sad story that could have been their own.

"I always assumed we were the first.." The Commander straightened, eyes wandering thoughtfully through the chamber, "But I guess we never really were-"

A sudden clanking side invaded the burrow like structure, traveling through the walls and bouncing off it in weak distorted echoes which made him pause and instinctively reach for his weapon. Hera strained her ears, a second later she could discern the sound of far-off and indistinct voices; and they were growing louder. _Someone was coming_ …

Commander Taylor held out a hand to her and pulled her to her feet, inclining his head meaningfully at her to indicate he wanted her to follow at a safe distance. Next instant he eased forward, weapon raised.

"Who's there?!" His inquiring shout rebounded of the walls, mingling with the shadow of his words as he kept repeating them, all the while moving forward until they reached a shadowy corner with a door neither of them had noticed before as it eerily blended with the rough earthen walls around it.

Hera could feel her heart hammering wildly in her chest now something uncomfortably close to fear rushed through her body. She increased the grip on her weapon but almost dropped it regardless when the door before them shuddered violently before it inevitably burst open.

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Thanks for Reading & Let me know what you think! :=)


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

 **CHAPTER 22**

 **Wrath Reborn**

 **KEEPING** an eye on the scanner in his hand, he used the other to force Doctor Wallace to hurry up now he was still struggling against his grip like a slippery eel. His impatience soon running out Lucas threw him roughly down at the cracked slabs that filled up the square like a plain, dusty mosaic. The Doctor threw him such a vicious look at this that he subtly placed his hand on the revolver strapped around his chest, fingers itching to pull the trigger.

"Don't tempt me, Doctor." He warned him in an almost bored voice. Judging by the dampened look in the Doctor's eyes he knew he'd gotten the message. _He'd better also understand he wasn't going to repeat that warning_ , Lucas thought, only just managing to resist the urge to shoot a hole in that obstinate face staring back at him. _Later_.. He promised himself and forced his hand to move away from the revolver; almost tasting the pleasure he'd derive from killing the pathetic man at his feet. Wiping away the sand accumulating on the screen he impatiently threw another look on the scanner. _Very close now_..

Up ahead he could already discern the trapdoor still tantalizingly leading to that underground labyrinth of tunnels he needed to get back to. Lucas roughly pushed the Doctor in front of him, his amusement at seeing the man stumble the last few steps morphing into a mocking laugh as he watched him wince in horror at his colleague's dead body lying on the ground at his feet.

Without pity or remorse he pushed the man again, following in his wake as they headed further inside the tunnel until Lucas bluntly ordered him to stop and kicked him hard in the back of the knees so he collapsed when he didn't immediately listen. Looking to his left he switched on his flashlight and soon found what his scanner indicated was there. Behind one of the canons, in fact it might be the very one he'd hid behind, there was an obvious dent and worn part on the wall. Lucas grinned as he pushed it back to reveal a secret passageway that must lead to the chamber another level down.

Lucas let his eyes rest on Doctor Wallace, his hunger only growing as he could read the unmistakably fearful understanding on his face. He could hardly repress a smile when the Doctor got up to his feet with a bravery he didn't possess but which his dear old father had probably convinced him of he had. Despite his efforts to not reward the man's stubborn courage his amusement quickly turned into a derisive snigger when, on the brink of stepping through the opening, Doctor Wallace halted hesitantly. Lucas watched as he accordingly tried reaching out in front of him with a hand that, he noticed to his delight, was slightly shaking.

"Don't worry, Doctor. I have every possible faith in you." He told the trembling man and, devoid of pity, pushed him hard in the back. Doctor Wallace clumsily staggered forward; next instant he was gone as the darkness beyond swallowed him. Shining light inside Lucas could see he'd tumbled down the first few steps of a rugged stair which despite its crumbling appearance seemed to be holding his weight without causing it to collapse. _Excellent_ , Lucas concluded as he tucked away the scanner he no longer needed. Satisfied with the result he crept through the crevice like opening himself, looking down on Doctor Wallace who was just getting on his feet again, wincing in pain in the process.

"Trying to get yourself another black eye to match the other, are we, Doctor?" Lucas remarked with a disdainful sneer, relishing in the man's weakened state and deriving sheer pleasure from the groans and stifled yelp as he, seemingly ignoring his taunting remark, finally managed to stand up again.

Shifting his gaze to the way ahead, Lucas realized it must lead to the only place left where he hadn't searched for portal. A restless lust for it at once seized control of his mind. _After all_ , _with it he could finally return to 2149_.. Lowering his eyes to Doctor Wallace he couldn't refrain from grinning as he envisaged his eventual return to Terra Nova and the utter destruction of their pitiful home when he did. _He would punish them, all of them_..

Leading the way he roughly grabbed Doctor Wallace by his sleeve and started descending the stairs that spiraled downwards into the very bowels of the earth itself, undaunted by the oppressive darkness around them.

Soon the stairs came out on a small winding passageway at the end of which waited a massive wooden door that wouldn't budge regardless of the force he used against it.

Annoyed at having the way forward blocked again, Lucas ran his fingers over the gnarled surface, tracing the uneven grooves that ran like narrow channels over it until they stumbled upon the lock. He reached for his gun and rammed it with unrestrained aggression against it. The crude iron it was forged of soon cracked under the combined strength of his brute force and relentless will to enter. _Nothing was going to stop him this time,_ he told himself when with a last effort the lock shattered.

Resenting the stabbing sensation this movement had caused in his side, Lucas turned away and grimaced as he felt the wound; his hands came back covered in blood. _That damn redhead was definitely going to pay for that_ , he thought resentfully, recalling the Sixer who'd bandaged him up and committing her face to his memory. _And he was going to make sure it hurt_..

He whisked around as a high pitched sound invaded his ears. Doctor Wallace looked up guiltily from his watch as he sat slumped on the ground. Pinning him down with an agitated stare Lucas grabbed him by the wrist and examined the scientist's fancy gadget still bleeping excitedly at him.

"Shut this thing up-" He barked at the Doctor, who was wreathing in agony because of his twisted arm, but then the couple of flashing dots suddenly made sense to him; _Lifeforms_..

"We're not alone.." He muttered, his voice low and aggravated; not sure what this meant yet but guessing that probably that Sixer scum had gone behind his back to beat him to finding the fracture. He had no doubt in his mind Mira was behind it and figured she must be planning to sell the valuable information to the highest bidder. _Well, there's wasn't going to be an auction_. _And he would make sure they would be they only ones paying for their insolence in daring to thwart him_.

"Stay close behind me.. Don't try anything." He said in a dangerous hiss, stabbing a finger threateningly in Doctor Wallace's chest. He released his wrist and turned to go when he realized his puppet hadn't responded to him tugging its strings. Sporting highly satisfying images of taking out his vengeance on him right here right now, Lucas turned back, sneering maliciously, "Time to go, Doc."

He didn't respond. In fact, he didn't seem to be aware of anything anymore except for his watch at which he stared intently; eyes wide and mouth half open in apparent shock. Lucas scowled at him for a moment, abhorring the fact that he still needed the man to take care of any potential problems with opening the fracture. He couldn't kill him. Not yet. No matter how tempted he felt to leave him behind with a bullet in his torso for company.

"Move!" Lucas shouted, repeating his earlier command. The Doctor didn't even stir or wince at this, eyes still fixed on his watch. Lucas felt a familiar surge of loathing well up inside him; a loathing for the Doctor himself but most of all for his ridiculous watch to have such a hold over him, rendering him completely useless. He strode over, not knowing if he could constrain himself with that stormy anger inside him rapidly growing. He was on the verge of ramming some old-fashioned sense into the man, if only to vent some of his frustration, when he noticed the readings that had appeared on the Doctor's watch.

"What's that.." He demanded to know, a dark foreboding forcing itself to shape in his head. Doctor Wallace swallowed hard then mumbled in a hoarse whisper, "It's picking up two dog tag locaters.. It's… It's _them_.. It must be!" His voice grew increasingly stronger as a hopeful light gathered in his eyes.

Lucas wildly shook his head and wavered on his feet, slamming into the wall before he could stop himself. The world around him seemed to fall apart as he failed to deny that what the Doctor was saying was true. _Those two life signs hadn't been Sixers_ …

"No…" He muttered, disgusted by the fact that his voice was trembling, "No.. It _can't_ be.." Lucas desperately groped around in his mind to find different answers, _any answers_ , other than the one that was staring him cruelly in the face; that was threatening to take the one assurance he'd been longing after away from him; the assurance that he'd finally succeeded in murdering his own father.. That he was _dead_..

"No!" He yelled again in churning agony, forgetting the searing pain in his chest and the blood seeping from the wound there now he saw through his own madness in believing he'd find the portal down here. For the briefest of moments he closed his eyes, then quickly opened them again as the darkness behind them was like an abyss that offered no salvation. The only clear thing left in his mind a renewed hatred to which he clung with all his might.

"I.. I can't believe it.." Doctor Wallace said, his lips quivering as if they were about to curve into a relieved smile if he would but accept the truth and let them. Slowly approaching him, goaded on by a vindictive lust for blood at seeing his puppet's emerging joy, Lucas reached for his revolver; a moment later he relished the feeling of the heavy and cold weapon in his hand. Doctor Wallace looked up and fear instantly mingled with the newborn relief in his eyes.

Hardly able to refrain himself from pulling the trigger and with a grim smile on his face he pulled the hammer back, enjoying the rattling sound of it that disheartened the shaking man in front of him but only made his own heart race even faster in restless anticipation, "Start walking," He began and added icily with no intention of keeping his word, "and I _might_ let you live.."

Doctor Wallace blinked once but remained where he was in stubborn determination. "I won't ask you again, _Doctor_.." Lucas warned him, annoyed with the grim resolution with which the man was staring back at him.

"Guess you're smarter than you look.." He admitted snidely, knowing he didn't believe in his promise and accepting the fact he'd have to find that portal and snatch it away from his dear old dad on his own without a hostage. _So be it_..

He was a second away from firing when he heard voices growing in volume echo from behind the door. He wheeled around and stepped back a few paces so he could cover the Doctor as well as the door and for a moment his grip on the revolver in his hands weakened when he thought he recognized one of the voices.

"Don't play with me! You're dead!" Lucas shouted at the top of his lungs as a surge of burning anger shot through him when the door remained shut although the voice of his father grew stronger and he could almost discern the words he spoke. Next to him Doctor Wallace winced and tried to scramble out of the way when Lucas raised a clenched fist. A tantalizing thrill went through him when it mercilessly made contact and the Doctor smacked to the ground.

Lucas pulled the coughing and groaning man to his feet by his collar, untouched by seeing him splutter blood as it gushed freely from his nose. "After you."

The thought of his father and that stubborn little mouse still alive, laughing at him for escaping, claiming victory when it was not theirs, effectively extinguished all suspicious apprehension as he kicked the door open.

Pushing Doctor Wallace in front of him he determinedly headed towards a haze of orange that filled the chamber beyond. Whatever secrets and treasures it might behold, all Lucas could see was that hated face; all he could already hear his last agonizing cry as envisioned ripping his heart out of his chest with his bare hands; all he could imagine that delicious taste of his blood on his tongue when he'd finally quieted that all-consuming hunger for revenge..

Thanks for Reading & Let me know what you think! :=)


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

 **CHAPTER 23**

 **Stalemate**

 **HERA** instinctively shielded her face and hunched her shoulders protectively when the wooden door they had only just found burst open. She stared with wide eyed disbelief as, impossibly, Lucas Taylor came striding into the low-ceilinged chamber. Her heart skipped a beat in utter shock as she recognized who it was that he was forcefully forcing to walk in front of him; _Malcolm_..

She involuntarily gasped as she saw his face; it was covered in blood from his nose to his chin from which it dripped continually on his blouse. In addition one eye was a deep indigo shade; swollen as it was it had reduced his eye to a slit. Within seconds Hera had reached for her pulse rifle and aimed it in the same swift movement.

She had been on the brink of rushing towards Malcolm, desperate to free him from the clutches of Lucas, when Commander Taylor's deadly calm voice stopped her in her tracks, "Leave him to me.." Upon seeing the determined and almost detached look in his eyes she felt inexplicable chills run down her spine. Swallowing down a fear of what he might be capable of right now she cautiously began, "Commander-"

"I said I'd deal with him, Sergeant." He cut her short, his voice clipped and devoid of emotion as he stared fixedly at his son as he approached him, readying his own pulse pistol with experienced hands that didn't need his eyes to guide them. Not wanting to disobey his direct order, Hera nonetheless edged forward a little, desperate to help turn this seemingly hopeless situation around before anyone got hurt..

"That's far enough!" Malcolm cowered and Hera could feel her limbs freeze at Lucas's enraged shout, echoing harshly around the chamber. She stood still, eyes flying from the crazed young man's badly battered hostage to Lucas himself and lastly to the Commander who'd taken a few steps forward despite his son's clear warning.

"That goes for you too… _Dad_ …" Lucas hissed at him, his eyes wide with unrestrained fury and acidly emphasizing the last word. Heart racing, Hera watched as the Commander ignored him and strode on saying tersely and his voice a low growl, "Let the man go."

Lucas simply sniggered derisively at this and pulled Malcolm closer, placing the revolver against his bloodied face. Seemingly not having the strength left to struggle Malcolm coughed, blood spraying everywhere. Opening his mouth he yelled with a tremendous effort, "Don't bother, Commander."

"Not now, Doctor." Commander Taylor replied coolly still walking towards them.

Malcolm coughed again then said, "He'll kill me anyway. Just shoot-"

"Stop talking, Malcolm!" Hera told him with a raised voice, only just managing to remain where she was, instead of following the Commander and try to get to her friend.

"Hera.." He rasped pleadingly but she shook her head, " _Please_.." She begged him to remain silent. To her relief he nodded this time. Her pulse rifle almost slipping in her trembling hands Hera forced her body to calm down, her head to stay clear. She let out a long slow breath, realizing that the only thing she could do right now was to trust Commander Taylor. To believe in him like she always did..

"Put the gun down, boy." Commander Taylor said, his voice tight but intimidatingly demanding nonetheless. Lucas merely snarled at him, then a victorious light grew in his spiteful eyes as they wandered from his father to Malcolm.

"No!" Hera shouted instinctively as a clear shot rang through the air; a split second later Lucas fell to the floor on one knee, screaming in agony as he clutched his injured leg. She remained frozen to the spot as the Commander stood equally motionless with his raised pistol still pointed at Lucas whose revolver skidded away from him. Hera forced her body to move and quickly returned her own weapon to its holster intending to get to Malcolm who fell to his knees in overwhelming exhaustion and fear. Before reaching him, however, she could hear Lucas' hollow laugh. To her horror a grin appeared on his face as he revealed another trick he'd literally had up his sleeve; _a pyro sonic charge_..

"Needless to say, I'm not afraid to use it." He told them, still staring fixedly at Commander Taylor, undaunted by the weapon pointed at him. Lucas laughed erratically as if reveling in the misery of his playthings and all because of his doing. Then he looked at them all, a broad smile on his pale face, "Seems like I'll have to leave you now.." Ignoring his injured leg he got to his feet, swayed for a moment then found his balance again. With half a bow he greeted them one final time, saying in a voice laced with loathing, "It's been an honor.." At his last words he casually threw the pyro sonic charge into the air, turned around and was gone.

In the same instant while everyone held their collective breaths, Commander Taylor made a dive for the charge and caught it just before it would hit the ground and kill all of them in the violent explosion that would have inevitably followed. Ignorant of the impending doom it inevitably was created for the charge continued counting down their last seconds of life with loud, high-pitched and indifferent bleeps. Commander Taylor placed the explosive to stand next to him with an almost tender care so it wouldn't topple over and explode prematurely. Next instant he had pushed himself off of the ground.

"Run! Go! Now!" He bellowed as, with a slight limp because of his hurt ankle, he pulled Hera with him and practically hurdled her towards the doorway when she was trying to help Malcolm stand on his own feet. Hera swiveled around to see Malcolm crawl further inside the chamber instead of coming in her direction when Commander Taylor had gone back for him, intending to take over the task of carrying his CSO with him. Even in the dim light from the torches she could see Malcolm's eyes were almost bulging as he took in the hoard of historical treasures around them.

"Wait! We can't go! It'll all be destroyed!" He yelled sounding panicky and he frantically started gathering things scattered around him on the ground, snatching everything up in his arms as if he determined to clutch it to his chest so it would be safe.

"We have to go! _Now_!" Commander Taylor shouted back at him, clearly losing his patience and dragging Malcolm behind him as they made for the doorway as well. Hera rushed in their direction to help and together as some strange six legged creature they fled up the stairs in a desperate attempt to put enough distance between them and the inevitable explosion although fearing they wouldn't make it in time.

They were almost at the top of the stairs when there was a deafening roar as the pyro sonic charge released its cataclysmic power. Everything shuddered at the explosion coming from the depth beyond. All three lost their balance in the shock wave carrying grit and debris that had carried all the way up from the chamber. They staggered and fell forward one by one, landing hard on the roughly hewn stones of the stairs.

For a moment the only sound breaking the tense silence was their ragged breathing and panting as dust continued raining down on them. After another moment of dreadful weariness that it wasn't over yet Hera stirred and lifted her head. Next to her she could discern Malcolm and the Commander do the same. Slowly but surely she got to her feet, daring to hope that they had actually made it.

Body still tense and filled with adrenaline from their last minute escape from imminent death she crouched down next to Malcolm and couldn't help smiling at him. He looked back at her and, though it was hard to see because of all the blood, returned it; a weak tug at the corner of his lips that told her he was incredibly glad to see her in one piece too.

"You're _alive_.." He muttered, squinting at her through his one good eye and shaking his head, adding when Commander Taylor joined them, "You're _both_ alive.." Coming over and patting his shoulder the Commander eyed his face with furrowed brows and asked him earnestly, "You okay?" Malcolm nodded at this then just in time managed to repress a cough no doubt brought about by all the blood and dust he'd swallowed.

"No, you're not." Hera put in, unslinging her backpack. She was about to rip it open in search of med sprays and bandages when the Commander motioned her to wait.

"Where are the others?" Commander Taylor inquired, placing both hands on Malcolm's shoulders. He swallowed then answered him in as clear a voice he could muster, "They're all at HQ. Mira's got them."

"What?!" Hera let out in consternation and anxiously added, "How's everyone? Are they all right?" He quickly nodded and she let out a heavy sigh of relief. She could tell from the look of understanding in his eyes that he knew her squad had been instantly on her mind. Hera turned away to face Commander Taylor and locking eyes with him she instantly knew what he had to do. What he was going to do. And she was coming with him. She nodded to him in silent agreement. As much as she wanted to pay Mira a visit and help rescue the others, they were relatively safe for now. _But Lucas was still out there_.. _And he definitely needed to be stopped_ …

"I need you to stay here for now." Commander Taylor told Malcolm who stirred restlessly and immediately protested, "W-what? No, I want to help! We've got to free the others-"

"They're going to be okay, Doc. Trust me. And so will you. Do you think you can make it to that opening over there?" He asked, nudging his chin to a crack separating two walls just a few yards ahead. He waited for Malcolm to reluctantly nod in confirmation then quickly got to his feet, motioning Hera to follow, "Let's go.."

She hastily shoved her pack in Malcolm's hands, "Better do something about that face." She said soothingly and dusted off her weapon as she too rose to her feet.

"Sergeant.." His voice urgent, Commander Taylor waited for her at the top of the stairs, jaw set and face intent.

"Yes, sir." Hera inclined her head towards him, then briefly squeezed Malcolm's hand in an attempt to quench her sudden sense of guilt in leaving him behind. Next moment she had rushed up the last remaining steps and swiftly followed Commander Taylor as he went through the narrow opening; bending all her will to push her worries about Malcolm, her squad and the others away for now until all her mind was set on nothing but the coming chase.

Thanks for Reading & Let me know what you think! :=)


	24. Chapter 24

**EFBT:** _Yep, Lucas is pretty far gone, too far I'm afraid and now it's up to Hera and Nathaniel to stop him.. Or is it? ;) As much as I'd love to offer Mr-one-sandwich-short-of-a-picnic a chance at redemption it's not likely to happen in this story, maybe that's something to explore in a different fic which I hopefully one day have the time for to write (seriously if I had a time machine I'd use it for the purpose of acquiring more time to write more stories haha)! And, yes, Malcolm did manage to grab something (well spotted!) which is going to turn out to be very useful… but that won't actually come into play until part three.. which I still have to start writing… aargh, again, I could really use that time machine! Thanks for your review and you better strap in for one helluva father-son reunion is coming up! ;)_

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 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

 **CHAPTER 24**

 **Trail of Blood**

 **HEART** uncomfortably throbbing in his chest Nathaniel forced his swirling thoughts to calm down. He knelt down and after a short hesitation he instantly disapproved of reached out for the crimson red puddle at his feet. He slowly dipped his fingertips in Lucas' blood as if he needed tangible proof of what he'd done to his son. _To his own son_.

He could feel Hera's shoulder gently bump into his when she crouched down next to him. He blinked hard, swallowing down a lump in his throat.

"He's hurt. With a leg injury like that he's not going to get far.." He stated in as matter a fact tone as he could manage.

"Sir…" He'd been mentally preparing his sore ankle to quit complaining and do what it was told when Hera stopped him. The uncertain tremor in her voice made him look around at her. "I-I.. I don't think it's only his leg.. Sir.." She confessed, sounding tense.

"How do you mean..?" He asked her pressingly, adding when she hesitated to answer him, "Tell me."

Lips trembling she explained falteringly, "Before the explosion that got us trapped in those tunnels.. I.. I threw a dagger.. I wasn't even sure if it had wounded him, but when I saw his bloodied shirt and he kept clutching his side.." He voice broke and she swallowed hard, "Sir.. I swear I only meant to stop him.."

Looking into her regretful eyes, which were threatening to tear up, he tried finding his voice but it was stuck in his throat. "You did what you had to do.." He finally managed to say and abruptly got to his feet, a heavy feeling weighing him down; _he'd really made a mess of things_ … Lucas was his responsibility and he'd failed in stopping him more times than he dared to count. _Then let's end this_ , he thought with renewed determination, _once and for all_..

He threw a quick surveying glance around the corner; the passageway was deserted except for the deep red drops of blood left behind like some macabre trail set out for him to follow. Though, a painful stab in his heart told him, he no longer knew or recognized the man he would find at the end of it. But follow it he must. At his sign Hera readied herself to continue on with their hunt.

Together they soundlessly moved on, pulse rifles raised and eyes purposefully scanning ahead. Accompanied by an almost eerie silence the trail, glimmering sickeningly in the pallid light of their weapons lead them on until they found themselves in a familiar passageway; it was the same as where Lucas had lured them into. Nathaniel could almost taste the bitter irony like bile on his tongue now their chase had brought them to the place where it had originally started.

"There's the stairs leading up to the trapdoor we all came through…" Hera pointed out, indicating a patch of sunlight seeping through from above and illuminating a rugged square on the dusty floor up ahead. He was relieved to see that she had regained control of herself, looking up expectantly at him and ready to get going.

"Stay behind me, at all times.." He let her know sternly, then rushed forward until they neared the stairs and also what still lay in a crumpled heap at the bottom of it: _Doctor Johnson_. Looking back over his shoulder he could tell from the horrified expression on her face she felt slightly sick at the thought of leaving the man behind regardless of the fact it was too late to help him and reverse his terrible fate. Nathaniel turned back, grimaced at the sight of the Doctor and promised his still form solemnly they would be back to recover his body and give it the proper burial the man deserved. Then he averted his gaze back to the stairs. Looking up he knew they couldn't afford to lose any more time if they wanted to catch up to his son..

"This way." He told Hera and eased forward with his pulse pistol raised as he started to climb the slightly wobbly and loudly creaking stairs. Increasing their pace they followed the trail of blood that had seeped into the wood of the crooked steps and within moments emerged from the opened trapdoor at the top of the stairs. Making sure he'd put his uninjured ankle down first Nathaniel smoothly got out and hastened towards the remnants of a doorframe that was kept in place by a dwindling collection of weathered bricks. He waited for Hera to hunker down against the splintered frame on the other side and warily swept the empty square for any sign of their target; _there_!

With a sudden roar a rover dashed out from behind a caved in wall, it had painted symbols all over it so it must belong to the Sixers. Not much of a mystery who was trying to make his getaway in it. Nathaniel knew he only had seconds, he took aim and fired. The sonic blasts nearly hit the rover, making sand fly where they hit the barren ground. Hera joined him not two seconds later but, even though she had turned taking out moving targets into somewhat of a specialty, she didn't manage to land a single hit this time. The distance between them and the rover had simply been too great and all they could do was watch how it tore away with screeching tires. They needed a vehicle, _and they needed it now_..

Hera just behind him he sprinted towards where the rover had appeared, eyes looking around searchingly. As soon as they rounded the corner of the crumbled wall his hunch paid off. There waiting for them was another Sixer rover. It didn't take him long to hotwire it and they sped off across the square. Instructing Hera to track down the other rover with the built-in short range scanners he stepped on the gas and headed for the vast desert beyond the ruins. He hoped Hera in the shotgun seat wasn't feeling half as guilty as he was for abandoning the others to their fate, for leaving them at the willful mercy of Mira. Knowing they didn't have a choice right now he grinded his teeth in bitter determination and pushed the rover to its limit.

"It's heading in North-East direction. We're gaining on it, Sir." She reported not long after in a steady voice.

"See anything?" Nathaniel asked her as he scanned the horizon. She remained silent for a while, then suddenly leaned forward in her seat, "There! Got a visual, sir!" She pointed directly ahead and, following the direction of her finger he soon spotted the cloud of dust on the horizon; _Lucas_..

Keen on catching up to it, he forced the pedal down even more and squeezed just a bit more speed out of the rover; ignoring how its hydro cells were humming increasingly louder and its very frame started to shake. Relentless in their pursuit, they were closing in fast now. Face intent on the rover in front he willed their own to go even faster. In the next instant they were behind it and he altered course in an attempt to get along side. Seemingly nearing its limits Nathaniel patiently urged the vehicle to move along to close that last gap between them, gaining inch by inch until at long last they were racing along at the same level. Flicking a quick glance to his left he could just make out Lucas bent over the wheel in an effort to increase speed and shake them off.

Mind made up Nathaniel deftly changed gears and shouted over the howling of the wind and sand billowing around both rovers, "Hang on!" He tightened his grip on the wheel, made them swerve to the right first and then steered abruptly in the opposite direction; a fraction later they violently rammed into Lucas' rover.

Not wanting to give him the time to recover and increase the distance between them he immediately repeated the same strategy the moment their own rover had regained its balance. This time he hit it harder, and it veered dangerously to the left. Nathaniel instinctively knew they'd won this race; Lucas had lost control and, keeping a safe distance, they watched in tense silence how the rover next to them swerved from one side to the next, then lost its balance all together until it toppled and rolled over and over in the sand where it finally landed with a resounding crash.

Nathaniel braked hard, made a sharp U-turn and cautiously headed back, heart throbbing painfully and protesting wildly to what he'd done no matter how much his head reasoned that it was necessary to stop his son; _no matter at what cost_.. As they came to an abrupt halt he had to try hard not to freeze as looked in horror at the devastation before them; as he envisioned that gruesome image he'd been scared of his whole life. Eyes glued to the wreck from which gray smoke coiled into the air a sickening worry gripped him by the throat. _After everything that had happened he prayed he hadn't killed his son_..

"Get down!" Hera yelled and they ducked as one when Lucas crawled out of the wreck, swinging a blaster around at them. The windows shattered the next second and the rover shook violently with the impact.

"Out! Get to the back!" He shouted, waited an instant longer until Hera had gotten out then kicked the door open and keeping low ran passed the rover. Meeting up with Hera around the back they hunkered down behind the rover for cover when another sonic blast hit it. From the corner of his eye he could see a side mirror hurdle through the air and by the sound of it more than just windows were shattered this time. They looked at each other in the momentary silence that followed, knowing that would only last for mere seconds.

"Cover me." He requested earnestly and held her gaze. She nodded in understanding, unstrapping the pulse pistol on her upper leg. He let out a long breath, ducked around the back of their heavily damaged rover and sprinted forward. The moment he saw Lucas, and he saw him, they both fired. Skidding to a halt he watched as Lucas was carried off his feet by the shock wave of his shot, flew through the air and landed hard on the sand where he lay completely still. Waiting a moment longer for the shot meant for him to hit him, he soon realized that Lucas had missed him by inches and their rover received the blow square on; the headlights burst and it sagged through its ravaged tires.

Hera appeared on the other side, eying their ride with a wary expression on her face then hastily inclined her head towards him when, up ahead, Lucas groaned audibly and stirred. On his guard but a strange relief wash over him Nathaniel approached. He was a mere two meters away from him when Lucas suddenly rolled over, got to his knees and hands; a sliver of silver reflected brightly in the sun.

"Stay away from me!" Lucas yelled, a deranged look in his eyes and brandishing a dagger at him. An instant wave of intense pity flooded him but he kept going, eyes fixed on the insane young man at his feet.

"Don't come any closer! I swear I'll kill you.." He spat at him in a raw voice, spit flying everywhere. "I'm going to pay your precious colony a visit.. I-I'll… I'll make them pay!" His eyes grew wide with mad ecstasy as he envisaged his wrath and went on, "I'm going to stand in front of those goddamned gates and destroy everything you hold dear.. Everyone you care about.. There will be no future for mankind.." Lucas laughed erratically, infatuated with his nonexistent triumph and his eyes shifting from him to Hera and back.

"Give up.. Come home.." Nathaniel begged him one last time when he made to get up and took a step forward. Lucas snarled like a cornered wild animal and slashed the air with his dagger as he got to his feet. He swayed and stumbled, barely able to stand. "But first," He mumbled, eyes straying to Hera and grinning maliciously, "I'll return this to that naughty little mouse.." He raised the hand holding the dagger, poised to throw.

Before she could stop him Nathaniel instantly stepped protectively in front of her. His voice low he looked deep into those wild eyes in which a hard light shone and reached out to him with his outstretched hand, "Don't do it, son.."

Lucas let out an enraged cry at this, yelling hatefully through gritted teeth, "I'm _not_ your _son_!" The moment he plunged forward Nathaniel expertly grabbed him by the wrist, turned it and snatched the dagger out of his clutched fist in the same movement. Throwing it away he bend Lucas' arm on his back, forcing him to turn around.

Growling in seething anger he struggled but Nathaniel was too strong for him. He held Lucas as Hera hastily tied his hands with the strap she'd cut loose from her blaster with the dagger. Pushing him to his knees Nathaniel stepped back, motioning to Hera to keep her distance. Raising her pulse pistol again she backed away a few paces and waited there. He walked around Lucas, clenching his fists in an effort to constrain them. He halted in front of him, forcing himself to look into his eyes. For what seemed like an eternity Nathaniel stared down at Lucas, pain shooting through his entire being at seeing his distorted face and the hot anger aimed at him in his crazed eyes.

"You're coming back with me.. I'm going to lock you up and throw away the key.." He finally told him, every word costing him a tremendous effort, "You have to atone for your crimes.. There's no other way.." He finished and slowly nodded in an attempt to convince himself; _he was doing the right thing_..

A taunting grin appeared on his son's face, as he turned his back at him. "You can't even kill me.." Lucas retorted accusingly, his voiced laced with disgust. "Coward! I hate you!" He shouted as Nathaniel kept walking away from him, every step he took increasingly heavier. "Don't walk away from me…! Damn you! I dare you to kill me!"

His last insane cry piercing his heart, Nathaniel stopped and closed his eyes. A single shot, sounding like the crack of thunder ripped the air in the same moment. He whisked around to see the look of shock at his shattered invincibility on his son's face as his last breath left him. Then, as if in slow motion, he fell to the side and moved no more.

"Commander!" Hera's voice was no more than a faint echo in his ears as the world swam before his eyes. He steadied himself, repressing a gagging sensation in his throat. Next moment a loud scream invaded his mind and he swiftly turned around almost losing his balance in the process. A few yards away he could make out the hazy outlines of their Rhino, parked just far enough so they wouldn't notice it approach.

He shifted his gaze to their broken down rover; near it two figures we're wrestling on the ground. He stumbled in their direction when Hera came out victorious and forced her defeated enemy to reluctantly relinquish her weapon. His heart still beating deafeningly loud in his ears, blocking out all other sounds, Nathaniel gave in to his blind wrath and pulled Mira up by her hair only to throw her down mercilessly at his feet. Unable to stop he kicked her in the stomach and raised a fist to crush her face with.

"Sir! Stop!" He was vaguely aware of first one than two hands getting hold of his arm, eventually succeeding in pulling his fist down after a long struggle. Coming to his senses he looked down at Mira, panting and coughing up blood. Then he stumbled backwards, turning away from Hera whose frightened expression involuntarily hurt him more than he could bear and struggled to keep standing.

He forced his legs to move, to carry him to what felt like the end of the unhinged world he was still alive in and on its border awaiting him the inevitable shadow of grief which would never stop hunting him now. He knelt down in the sand and almost choked at the empty eyes staring up at him. Shaking and tears uncontrollably streaming over his face he let out a cry in agony, took up the body of his lifeless son in his arms and held him close to his chest that heaved in soul wrenching sobs, a single word echoing unbearably hollow in his head; _dead_ ….

Thanks for Reading & I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chapter! :=)


	25. Chapter 25

_EFBT: Yes, here's Mr. Fallout (finally! Sorry for the delay in updates!), though he's not that bad once you get to know him ;) So.. if you thought last chapter was intense.. I guess this chapter could be the same, or worse.. For me personally this has always been my favorite chapter, don't really know why, but I hope you'll enjoy reading it! Thanks for the review!_

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

 **CHAPTER 25**

 **Father and Son**

 **THEY** left the two damaged rovers behind, silent witnesses to the violent end of their pursuit; a monument of twisted steel and glass shards that was like a stain on the sand in this forsaken land which would never be washed away again no matter how hard the rain would try. Hera stared tiredly down at her hands lying palm up in her lap, listening to the familiar humming of the Rhino almost entranced by the soothing, constant sound. Now and then she flicked an anxious look at Commander Taylor, hoping he wouldn't notice. His face was drawn of all color, his mouth a thin line and his brows deeply furrowed while his eyes stared blankly over his hands on the wheel and out onto the outstretched desert without seeming to really see. How much clearer and real must that hauntingly fresh memory of his son's death be to him now..

Hera swallowed hard, looking over her shoulder and into the back of the Rhino. Hands tied behind her back, Mira sat unnervingly straight on one of the benches, eyes fixed ahead and apparently lost in thought too. Hera turned around again and felt her heart jump when, finally, the ruins appeared on the horizon ahead. Eager to release the others at last from the Sixers she impatiently placed her hand on the door handle as the half withered structures mostly eaten up by time grew steadily larger.

The moment the Rhino stopped only a few feet away from HQ she jumped out and slammed the door shut behind her. Several Sixers were already waiting for them, weapons at the ready and wary expressions on their faces. The Commander got Mira out of the back and forcefully pushed her in front of him, one hand around her tied wrists the other casually resting on the sonic pistol stuck behind his belt. The three of them walked up to the Sixers who were shifting uncomfortably by now and threw each other increasingly uneasy looks.

"Let them go.." Commander Taylor simply demanded once they had come close enough to really make them unsure about what to do next. It was the first time he'd spoken since they'd left for the ruins and his voice sounded raw and hollow. Some of the Sixers raised their weapons while others looked back over their shoulders as if of a mind to call for back up.

"Don't bother." Commander Taylor told them, subtly tapping his fingers on his pistol and jerking his chin towards Mira. That sent a clear enough message and they reluctantly lowered their weapons, one by one. Picking up on his almost imperceptible nod in her direction Hera quickly stepped forward cradling her blaster, "You can put those down, nice and slow now.."

Once all of them had obeyed and they were looking down on an impressive arsenal collected in a pile at their feet the Commander gestured for the Sixers to turn around and head in first. Hera followed him and Mira inside, tensing up now she was so close to being reunited with her squad.

She threw a quick glance around the dilapidated room and moved forward through the throng of unarmed Sixers who, at a scowling nod from Mira, lined up against the wall. When the last of the Sixers that had been inside when they'd arrived had surrendered and given up their weapons too

Hera finally allowed herself to cast a longing look at the now freed prisoners, crowded together at the far end of the room and looking at both her and the Commander with eyes wide and mouths open in silent shock. Glancing back over her shoulder at the Commander he soon gave her a permissive nod and she rushed towards them. A quick inventory glance told her that although all looking very tired they were still very much in one piece.

"Hera….!" Scott whispered incredulously in a hoarse voice once she had reached them, looking up with tears in her eyes. Evans and Dunham both let out a very contagious and boisterous laugh while Miller and Hernandez simply beamed.

"Good to have you back." Sergeant Reilly told her with heartfelt affection, then added with a concerned frown, "Have you seen Doctor Wallace? He was taken.. By Lucas.."

"He's all right-" Hera began to reassure her but Commander Taylor cut their conversation short, his voice curt and to the point as he gestured for Corporal Dunham to step up to him, forgetting the fact he was tied up and on the ground, "Go and get Doctor Wallace. You'll find him on the far east of the square."

For a moment Dunham tried to wriggle himself free until Commander Taylor crouched down and cut his hands loose without saying another word or adding anything to his concise command to him. Somewhat insecure but eager to obey Dunham managed an awkward salute and dashed off in search of Malcolm.

Realizing they still had to secure the Sixers now their roles had reserved Hera quickly set to untying everyone. Starting with Reilly, who immediately helped with the others now Commander Taylor had turned his back on them again and was eying the Sixers with undisguised mistrust, all of them were soon able to move around again.

For a moment, most of them took a second or two to treasure their regained freedom, stretching legs and arms, rubbing painful wrists and ankles. Then with their combined effort they had soon bound the Sixers with their own ropes and forced them to sit down in the exact same spot they had had to endure their captivity.

Last but not least Commander Taylor pushed Mira forward, she stumbled, almost tripping over one of her fellow Sixers. She looked around an avid fire in her eyes but her intimidating and scornful glare failed to reach the Commander seeing he had already turned his back on her. In a clipped tone he instructed Reilly and a few others, most of them still staring in relieved wonder at him, to get a weapon from the stack outside and return to stand guard over the Sixers.

Hera hung back, inwardly glad that the Commander hadn't indicated her and her squad to help out. Grinning from ear to ear she was soon surrounded by all four of them. Evans couldn't stop patting her on the back and Miller had taken over his overjoyed, uncontrollable laughing while Hernandez shook his head as if simply he couldn't believe his eyes. From the corner of her eyes Hera could just catch a glimpse of Scott's brown curls when the next second she was already pulling her in a tight hug that almost squeezed all the air out of her lungs. Despite the lack of oxygen Hera couldn't stop smiling, feeling incredibly grateful everyone was all right.

The moment the others had returned all ready and armed Dunham reappeared with an arm of a very beaten-up looking Malcolm slung around his shoulders while they, slightly out of balance, staggered inside. Sergeant Reilly rushed forward to catalogue the scientist's every wound while Hernandez took over Hera's backpack that Malcolm seemed very reluctant to part with even though it wasn't his. "It's okay.. You're safe now.." Hera told him soothingly as she approached them, which seemed to calm him down enough so Hernandez could finally pry the backpack out of his tight grip. Dunham half carried him over to a nearby crate and dropped him rather unceremoniously on it which had Malcolm wince and gasp in pain. Reilly threw the Corporal a withering look which made him almost cower in fearful guilt and instantly set to rearrange the bandages which Malcolm had rather unsuccessfully wrapped around himself using the med kit from the backpack.

Standing aside of it all, Commander Taylor observed the scene without really seeming to take any of it in. Hera could see his eyes were glazed over with either exhaustion or repressed emotion, though she suspected it was probably both. After a moment he stirred and seemed to come to life again as he approached with a strangely purposeful expression on his face as he addressed Sergeant Reilly still busying herself with patching up Malcolm, "Gather at the square with the sixers and set out a perimeter just in case using all the vehicles, _except_ the rhino." He ordered her sternly, a sudden harsh note to his voice at the end of that terse sentence.

"I'm not leaving without all these artefacts-" Malcolm managed to protest weakly, coughing up blood next instant.

Commander Taylor warily stared back into the scientist's stubbornly determined bloodshot and blackened eyes. "Four crates for each vehicle, at the most." He growled, adding in an undertone to the Sergeant as he made to go, "If I'm not back before nightfall set up camp on the edge of the ruins. Wait for me there."

Commander Taylor moved away after this, not acknowledging Malcolm's whimpering as Dunham patted him consolingly on the back or even giving any of them a dismissive nod. "Commander?" Reilly called after him sounding slightly confused. Without turning back he answered her, sounding pensive, "You have your orders, Sergeant. Go.."

With that he disappeared through the doorway without another word. Everyone followed him outside, rather hesitantly at first, but eventually they were all gathered –the moody band of Sixers included- at the edge of the square. Sergeant Reilly started to lead them on towards the heart of it now Commander Taylor kept to the side of it all, appearing to be deeply lost in thought with his arms placed on his hips and eyes cast down except for the occasional wary look he flicked at the rhino.

Hera stared at the ground, doubt about what to do gnawing at her as she crossed her arms over her chest now a tense knot tightened itself in her stomach. Part of her wanted to give Commander Taylor the space he obviously needed, but on the other hand she found herself very reluctant to let him go off alone in his current despondent state. Wherever he was planning to go. Though she thought she could probably hazard a guess at what he was going to do. _What he had to do_ …

Apparently aware of her internal struggle, Scott came up to her. Placing a hand gently on her shoulder she told her confidently, "We got this. Go and keep an eye on the Commander." For a moment Hera looked at her in surprise, not having realized that the worried expression on her face must have been this telling. Then she locked eyes with Reilly who cast a quick worried look at the Commander, then nodded in agreement in her direction. She gratefully inclined her head towards her, said a quick goodbye to the others and let them all leave without her.

Gradually everyone walked off, leaving them on their own again, though it was hard to tell whether or not the Commander was aware of this at all. Hera stood motionless beside him, watching him closely. There was something understandably detached about the way his gaze now wandered aimlessly around without once resting on her or the leaving group as they headed for the center of the square.

Looking forlorn for a moment longer he only realized that he wasn't alone and she was still there standing next to him when the others were almost out of sight. He cleared his throat and looked away but said nothing. Then, he slowly turned around and allowed her to follow him for he didn't protest or showed her in any way he wanted her to leave. Simply either not having the strength left to do so or indifferent to whether she was there with him or not at this point.

"I'll drive.." Hera told him in a soft voice, walking past him and getting into the driver's seat. She waited, expecting Commander Taylor to get into the back of the rhino so he could be with his son one last time but a second later the door on the other side opened and he took the shotgun seat instead.

He seemed to struggle to say something to her but not wanting him to feel that he had to Hera turned the key and took off.

She drove slowly at first, simply picking a spot on the horizon and heading off in that direction. Commander Taylor didn't stop her so she assumed he was okay with where they were going. Not that she knew exactly where that was. Increasing speed nevertheless she blinked a couple of times to get used to the heat haze ahead which made it difficult to focus on the mark she had set herself to reach. After a while she felt herself getting more and more sleepy. Not giving in to the drowsiness in her head she forced herself to listen to the drumming sound of the hydro-cells once more until it filled her entire being and there was nothing in her world but the vast desert stretching out before her and the sun warmed wheel in her steady hands.

After an hour or so Commander Taylor suddenly leaned forward in his seat and motioned her to stop. She gladly obeyed him, her eyes had begun to hurt from squinting intently at the horizon. He got out before she had a chance to and, looking into the side mirror, she could see him walk slowly to the back of the rhino.

Taking longer than was necessary to get out herself on purpose, she eventually made her way to the back as well. From the corner of her eyes she could just discern the Commander in the shadowy interior of the rhino. He was kneeling down next to Lucas' body which they'd wrapped in a tarpaulin; their rhino his makeshift hearse now nothing else was to be had. For fear of invading his grief Hera quickly turned away again and opened a side hatch instead. Grabbing hold of two shovels she closed it again trying not to make a sound to disturb the Commander and headed out.

Exhausted as she was Hera forced her legs to move and keep walking, burying the myriad of contradictory emotions that tried to escape from her heart. When she felt she'd gone far enough from the rhino she stood still. Then, she planted one of the shovels into the sand. Firmly taking a hold of the other she started digging, pushing away the dreadful thought that she was not digging a ditch or a canal, but a rudimentary grave.

She'd only been at it for a couple of minutes when she heard the sound of footsteps. Next moment Commander Taylor pulled the shovel out of the sand and joined her. They worked on in mutual silence, the sun burning their necks and sweat trickling down their faces and backs. There was no sound except for the shovels they pushed deep into the earth and the sand they piled up behind them. Her arms aching Hera paused, wiped her forehead with her rolled up sleeve then, tuning out the pain, planted the shovel in the ground again and continued her strenuous task.

It took them over two hours of continuous effort when, at long last, they were finished. Out of breath, Hera crouched down and pinched her side in an attempt to get rid of the painful stabs that had been plaguing her. Next to her Commander Taylor threw away his shovel, his breathing was hard too. He turned around but, when Hera had made to get up and follow him, he shook his head. She shifted her gaze back to the grave they'd made and waited instead. When he returned she silently got to her feet and stepped back to let him through. Not daring to look but her eyes drawn to him nevertheless she watched as he carefully lowered Lucas' body into the grave. That burdensome task completed he stood in front of it for a long time, his shoulders hung low and staring down at his son with a distant look in his eyes.

Forgetting about how much time passed as it seemed something that no longer made any sense to her now, Hera, following the Commander's example, took up her shovel again and together they started to close the grave. Although her body protested and hurt with every movement she made, Hera was glad she could lose herself in the laborious task, making it impossible for thoughts or feelings to linger. When they were done Hera smoothed the sand with her bare and sore hands. Then, not sure why but feeling it somehow was the right thing to do, she reached for her silver handled dagger and placed it carefully on the grave. It was more for the Commander's sake than Lucas', after all she had buried an enemy; though she was sure that even if she'd met him before his banishment, that if his life had run a different course, she would still have left it as the same token of respect for his son.

Without looking at Commander Taylor, it took all the strength she had left to turn around and walk away. Though she wasn't sure where her tears were coming from she was too tired to stop them now cascading down her cheeks. Feeling numb all over she barely managed to open the door and climb into the rhino. Grateful for the shade it offered Hera pulled up her legs, wrapped her arms firmly around them and rested her head on her knees. Closing her eyes she gave up on fighting off sleep and allowed her weary consciousness to drift away.

* * *

Once the far-off sound of a door closing slowly penetrated his dark thoughts and he became aware of being on his own all his strength left him and he sank to his knees. Burying his hands deep into the warm sand he clenched them into fists as if trying to anchor himself against the turbulent grief inside him that roughly pushed his thoughts this way and that, tore violently at his heart and made him feel so lost he wasn't sure he'd ever find his way again.

Raising one fist he opened it, staring mesmerized at the fine sand grains seeping through on the grave where it mingled with his tears. It was still scorching hot but Nathaniel felt chill after chill run down his spine, his heart throbbing so painfully it made him gasp. For a moment he longed for it to break, shatter in a thousand pieces so he could lay himself down, enshroud himself in the same eternal sleep that had taken Lucas from him. To go to a place beyond the pain, to where his grief also couldn't follow now both threatened to devour him whole. Somewhere time would forget him, erase all the mistakes he'd made and bring back the son he'd lost…

Gradually, his shadow lengthened until the sun began its final steep path of descent. He shivered and heaved a deep sigh that, together with the cooling breeze brushing his face, seemed to clear his head a little. He reached inside his tac-vest and found what he was looking for in an inner pocket. He opened his hand and there in his palm lay the bullet he hadn't fired that night. The bullet he'd kept it with him all this time. The bullet that reminded him how he couldn't, _wouldn't_ kill him. Somehow, it felt like it belonged here. Nathaniel closed his fist around it, one last time forcing himself to play his son's life as a movie in his head. Then, he placed it next to Hera's dagger, got to his feet and walked away from the grave he knew he would never return to just as Lucas would never again return to him.

It took him a while to start up the rhino and go. Partly because he needed his head to clear to be up to the task of driving, but mostly because he didn't want to wake up Hera who'd curled herself up into a ball on the shotgun seat, sound asleep. Looking briefly at her face, tear streaked but wearing a peaceful expression now, he wasn't sure how he would ever find the words to thank her for being here. For her presence meant he wasn't alone and that soothed him more than he'd ever care to admit out loud. Soon feeling calmed down enough he activated the navigation system, typed in the coordinates of the ruins and started on their way back at last.

Twilight had long set in when they got back. Nathaniel parked the rhino along the periphery of the ruins and nudged Hera to wake her up. She stirred and slowly came to life. Opening her eyes it took a moment for her to realize where they were, then she stammered in apparent relief, "We're back.."

"That we are.." He told her, and got out. Still sluggish and drowsy Hera followed him as he headed for the handful of campfires and makeshift tents that was their camp. Sand billowed up around their ankles and whirled around them in the increasingly colder wind blowing over the desert. Looking over his shoulder he watched Hera stumble in his direction, rubbing her eyes and moving slowly as if she was sleep walking, which he suspected she must be for the greater part. He gently pulled her back in the right direction once or twice when she wavered from course until they'd reached the edge of the camp.

Nathaniel briefly checked in with Sergeant Reilly who came rushing over to report. Grateful for the fact that she refrained from asking questions and for assuring him he could get some rest now she had everything under control he went straight for the nearest campfire no one was sleeping around as it was not much more than a smoldering heap of dry branches from which smoke was coiling up wistfully now and then.

Tugging at the sleeve of her uniform he made sure he didn't lose Hera on his way to the fire and nudged her gently forward in the direction of the single sleeping bag that laid abandoned next to it. Gesturing for her to take it as if it was his offer, insufficient as it was, of compensation for what he had made her go through that day without saying a word, he relied on his look of regret to convey the extent to which he was sorry all of this had happened. Hera regarded him for a moment through her sleep filled eyes, then her lips curved into an understanding but still somber smile of thanks. Not able to bring himself to say something that could equal her genuine sympathy and support he simply nodded meaningfully and waved his hand again in the direction of the sleeping back to enforce her to obey and finally get some well-deserved rest.

Ignoring the stiffness in his ankle and the burning sensation in his arms from those hours of digging he walked around the fire and shivered slightly because of the cold. After assuring himself that Hera, who'd fallen asleep again almost the instant she crawled into the sleeping bag was going to be okay, he laid himself down on the opposite side of the dying campfire sputtering indignant sparks of red flames at him. Apprehensive of the inevitable nightmares that would haunt him if he fell asleep but at the same time yearning for a chance to shut down, to not think and above all not to feel, he gazed up at the night's sky overhead. Still sensing the sun on his reddened face he closed his eyes and felt his exhaustion finally carry him off to a sleep as deep as that ocean of sand in which he'd buried his son.

Thanks for Reading & Let me know what you think! :=)


	26. Chapter 26

_A/N EFBT: I can't tell you how much your last review meant to me, seriously you phrased how I personally feel about that chapter perfectly, always nice to know that something I wrote myself also works for someone else, evoking those emotions etc. highest praise I could ever hope for so thank you! :)_

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 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

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 **CHAPTER 26**

 **Future Bound**

 **THEY** had been herded together like unwanted cattle in a corner of Taylor's camp. Not caring about the rope tying her hands together and cutting into her flesh she sauntered away from the others, kicking up dust and sand as she went. In the shade from the canvas awnings spanned overhead Mira cast a weary look around, her eyes resting for a moment on the outlines of the ruins which were no more than a collection of hazy shapes on the horizon.

She stood still and, blinking once, assured herself that all of it hadn't been a mirage. That her way home had actually crumbled down like those homes eroded by time that had tried to satisfy its devouring hunger until only a few clay bricks were left. She resumed her restless pacing, still stunned by the transition from hunting down Lucas Taylor and being in control of his father's soldiers, to being a prisoner herself; from having had a plan to get back to Sierra stolen from her at the very last moment, to the tables drastically turning on her after she had taken her revenge. The fact that she had been crushed under her enemy's boot had made her defeat complete.

And now, her hope of ever seeing her daughter again shattered, and her will to fight with it, she had to wait patiently for Taylor to make up his mind what to do with them. Mira grimaced and spat on the ground now a deep surge of bitter disgust filled her entire body. She hated being penned in with the others, like animals readied for slaughter. If it was to end, here in this forsaken wasteland, then this was not the way she would've chosen. Seeing the rest as dejected and tired as she herself felt only made it worse. Not only had she failed her daughter. She had failed all of them..

"He's coming." Lennox warned her in a low whisper, her flaming red hair almost competing with the glaring sun in the sky for brightness as she leaned towards her. Knowing instinctively the time had come, that moment of final reckoning, Mira straightened and turned around, defiantly facing Commander Taylor as he approached, two of his men in tow cradling their weapons meaningfully.

"Come to pass judgment then, have you?" She snapped when he was within earshot, her pride piqued for being at his mercy. Whatever he had decided, she wouldn't beg him to change his mind, or show him how little she really cared about what would happen to her now she would never see her beautiful daughter again. Cherishing for the briefest of moments the image of the freckled face with its dark brown eyes and cornrow braids falling like a picture frame around it that her heart conjured up before her mind's eye, Mira swallowed hard and clenched her jaw; _she would not beg_..

Taylor stopped in front of her, his men close by, and hesitated for a moment before answering her, "That's not for me to decide. You're the only one who can do that, Mira."

She scowled at him, at his make-believe lenience and yet the stinging accusation in that remark. "Not like this I can't." She pointed out, raising her tied hands to him, also sparing an angry glare for the two men flanking him; letting all three of them know she wasn't in the mood for playing games. _Never had been_ …

"No. You're right. You can't." Taylor agreed, the hint of a grin playing across his face, "But maybe you could if you agree to my terms.."

"And what exactly would those be?" She demanded to know, annoyed by the fact she had no idea what he was playing at. She really didn't need more humiliation; life had already provided more than enough of that for her.

"You chose the wrong side, Mira. But I'm not above offering you a second change." Commander Taylor explained, looking at her intently and holding her equally intense gaze before he issued his inevitable sentence, "I'm banishing you to the Badlands, Mira. You'd never be able to leave them again. Of course, you're free to make a living for yourselves here," His eyes briefly wandered over the collection of dilapidated and fragile forms of the ruins almost in an amused sort of way, "but I never want to see any of your faces again.. If I do.." He paused for effect this time which involuntarily made the hair in the back of her neck stand on end however much she despised her own weakness at his coming threat, "Well, then you might find me less forgiving.."

Mira wasn't surprised he left the end of that sentence hanging, after all he didn't need to fill in the blank, the deadly stare he gave her made her perfectly capable of filling in the blank by herself. She clenched her fists, trying not to let anger and frustration cloud her own judgement now she had to make a choice even though it could hardly be called that. Tempted to believe him, though everything that had happened in all those years they'd fought each other told her not to, Mira lowered her gaze, feverishly weighing off the options in her mind.

"Take it or leave it, Mira. You'll have till sunrise to decide." Taylor told her when she remained silent and made to go.

"Wait!" She called after him, making him turn back to face her. "What if we decide to stay here.. You'll just let us live here? In peace?"

Taylor grinned, seemingly amused by her obvious suspicion and doubt. He shrugged as if the answer to that question was evident and she needn't have bothered asking. Before walking away from them, he threw her a last meaningful look then simply reminded her, "Sunrise."

* * *

Thinking back on the past couple of days it was hard to believe that the things that'd happened, had _really_ happened. They'd solved the mystery of the portal in the Badlands. Well, technically discovering that it was part of an even bigger mystery than they'd anticipated wouldn't perhaps qualify as _solving_..

Still, the reality of discovering proof indicating they weren't the first colonists to live here in Terra Nova, was partly what they'd come here for. Although it was probably going to take some time for the truth of it all to sink in. As was the fact that they'd hadn't actually found any evidence indicating the fracture was still active in this region. He threw an inquiring glance over his shoulder at the ruins on the horizon which, unaware of his scrutiny, remained as deserted and unpromising as ever.

Blinking slightly against the brightness of the sunlit desert around him, Nathaniel took out his watch as if he was literally counting down the seconds when he'd be returning to the colony. Lost in thought he wandered along the edges of their camp, turning it over in his hands as it reflected the glaring sun overhead and wondering why time was such a tricky component of reality. There was no way to undo all the things he regretted doing in the past but he hoped he could somehow right it if only a little with the decisions he'd make in the future.

Strangely enough he felt no regret about his offer to Mira. He knew part of him would always be angry, the same part that told him he ought to hate her for what she'd done to him. _What she'd done to his son_. But he didn't. Just as, in the end, he couldn't hate Lucas. Deep inside he finally understood that even though she might've pulled the trigger, in reality he knew by being unable to save him he'd killed Lucas, and any hope he'd be himself again one day, a long time ago. He'd failed to see him for who he was, who he had become. The bitter truth was, Nathaniel realized as he returned the watch to his pocket, he'd already been grieving the loss of his son for a much longer time. Now he'd have to find a way to deal with the finality of it.

He ducked under the entrance to his tent, not more than some poles and white triangle shaped canvas, sitting down on the gray tarpaulin and trying hard not to be reminded of how he'd used a similar one but two days ago to cover Lucas' body with. Involuntarily wincing at the memory before he pushed it to the back of his head he got hold of his canteen and took a replenishing swig. He needed to stay focused, he sternly reminded himself, after all, he'd have to plan their journey back to the colony. Although it was tempting to simply make a beeline for it, he knew they'd better avoid running into any of the formidable predators that roved either the desert or the jungle. He'd better talk to his officers, decide on the best possible route. Pushing to his feet again, Nathaniel put on his sunglasses, thankful for the shade they provided as well as for covering the sorrow his eyes must still betray, and stepped outside into the heat.

To be on the safe side, he'd made sure to post more guards to keep an eye on the Sixers while he talked to Sergeant Reilly and Sergeant Hallows. After their meeting they both went their different ways to inform their respective squads and Nathaniel had spent the greater part of the day prepping their vehicles and keeping watch over their prisoners from the corner of his eyes. But Mira didn't try anything foolish like attempting to escape would have been. Not that he'd really expected her to. He knew the offer he'd made her was too good to waste. Besides, she had known it would be his only one.

After a restless night in which the few hours that he had actually slept Lucas flitted in and out of his disturbing dreams, he finally got up an hour before sunrise. Rubbing his tired eyes he went on to wash his face with the cold water from the jerry can next to his makeshift bed in the sand. That refreshed him enough to head outside where he walked around their camp to stretch his legs and check in with those on sentry duty. All had been quiet. Still was. Nathaniel appreciatingly patted Corporal Dunham on his shoulder, telling him to get a lie down before they'd head out and taking over his spot overlooking the Sixers. As far as he could see most of them were still sleeping except for a handful sitting in a circle talking in whispers with each other and Mira who was at the center of their little congregation.

"Coffee?" He turned abruptly around to find Malcolm walking up to him, two steaming cups in one hand each.

"Look like I need one?" Nathaniel asked with a grin, cocking an eyebrow at him.

"Your words, Commander." Malcolm told him wisely, offering him one of the cups.

"Thanks." He said and gladly accepted the shot of caffeine his brain was craving for. "So, you ready to go home?" He inquired after taking a large gulp of the hot coffee, throwing Malcolm a questioning look.

"Yes. Sergeant Reilly managed to successfully patch me up. We've packed all the crates so I guess there's nothing left for me here to do.. Not now that chamber is officially lost to us forever, including all of the historical artefacts it contained.." Malcolm explained sounding genuinely heartbroken by that last undeniable fact.

"Right.." Nathaniel mumbled, somehow feeling for the man next to him now he'd had to tear himself away again so soon from what could well have been the equivalent of hitting a scientific jackpot. Following the Doctor's gaze to the ruins on the horizon he cleared his throat, saying somewhat soothingly, "Well, look at the bright side, Doc. At least you've managed to find yourself some nice souvenirs to take back home with you.."

Malcolm smiled a tad mysteriously at this, "Yes. I did, didn't I?" He admitted, throwing him an excited look then held out his hand. "I'll take that." Nodding his genuine thanks Nathaniel handed him the cup back and watched his CSO head back to their collection of tents again, thinking that despite their differences, he really was all right..

* * *

The sun had only just shown its face, rays warming the exposed skin on his arms and face, as he waited for Mira to step up to him. He stood on the edge of their haphazardly fenced off area and watched in silence when she finally did approach, the rest of the Sixers following suit.

"Well?" He asked her, his manner straightforward but not impatient. Mira stood before him and crossed her arms protectively in front of her before answering honestly, "I accept your offer." Lifting her chin she added with her eyes fixed intently on his, "Most of us want to stay. But some want to come with you." Her lips curved in something close to disgusted incredulity before she added, "Do I have your word they can return to the colony with you?"

Nathaniel had to turn that over in his mind for a moment, though he couldn't deny he'd already considered that potential option yesterday, lying wide awake in his tent. "How many?" He rested his hands on his hips, eyes wandering over the Sixers behind Mira who simply nudged her head to a group standing behind her and he instantly recognized the handful he'd seen confidentially talking to each other earlier. They all looked up expectantly at him, their tense anticipation convincing him he'd have to stick to the decision he'd already made.

"They can stay with us." He promised, knowing he'd have to deal with how that was going to work out later. Mira inclined her head at this, in gratitude or acknowledgement, he couldn't judge which, then gestured for the Sixers wanting to stay to step up. There were six of them in total and they, rather hesitantly, walked away from the others after saying their brief goodbyes, lastly looking gratefully at Mira herself who simply nodded as a weak smile almost broke through the poker face she still managed to keep straight.

Corporal Dunham immediately took charge over the small group of Sixers that had decided to join them. Looking earnest he ordered some of the others to search them for weapons and keep an eye on them afterwards while he himself overzealously observed the entire procedure. Nathaniel grinned to himself, knowing his Corporal was being this thorough and dedicated to make up for, what in his mind, had been his unforgivable mistake in letting him and Sergeant Hallows down, in addition getting caught with Doctor Wallace as a result.

Waiting for Dunham to give him the sign that all checked out clear Nathaniel dug in his pocket, closing his fingers around the smooth surface of his watch again, seemingly a habit he'd grown into of late. Once he'd received the Corporal's affirming nod he turned back to Mira when everything suddenly went haywire in a way he couldn't have possibly foreseen.

There was a sound like distant rumbling of thunder growing louder as the air crackled and rippled with energy that was released a second later all at once in a blinding flash of hellish blue light that beat the sun's rays hands down. Like those gathered around him Nathaniel blinked a couple of times and simply stared in wonder at the opened portal before them. Here it was within his grasp; _a tantalizingly close gateway to 2149_..

The piercing buzz of the fracture humming in his ears Nathaniel could hardly believe what his eyes were seeing. Judging by the dumbstruck looks on all of the faces around him the same was true for the others. Gathering like a blockade in front of the portal his men raised their weapons now their prisoners stirred in excited anticipation, looking at the bright and shimmering puddle in an almost wild ecstasy. He averted his gaze to Mira, the longing expression she wore instantly clearing his head in a way he hadn't expected was possible. Suddenly, he knew what to do now this uninvited but wished for guest had completely changed everything.

Nathaniel heaved a sigh, readying himself for what he was about to say even though he now finally realized it was the right thing to do. "Lower your weapons.." He ordered his men in a low voice, nodding at Hera in appreciation as she was the first to understand the decision he had made and was about to voice now she made her squad stand down after a few hesitant seconds. The rest followed suit, albeit reluctantly and rather unsure of what was happening. He looked at them all in turn and one by one comprehension dawned on them. Nathaniel swallowed down a lump in his throat when the initially confused expression of each of them morphed into one indicative of their loyal support.

He turned to face Mira, locking eyes with her, "Even though I can't guarantee where in 2149 you'll end up, you're free to go.." He told her, motioning for his men to step away from the portal and adding in purposeful sincerity at seeing her waver at his words, "I won't stop you.."

"Why would you allow us to go home?" Mira asked him, her voice hoarse with emotion and eyes wide in disbelief as she simply stared at him, clearly doubting his sanity. In all honesty, he himself was doubting it. Even though she had taken away his child from him forever, he was actually giving her a chance, the _only_ chance, to get back to hers.. He could almost see her think how this had to be part of a trap, furrowing her brows and chewing on her lower lip as she was. But he meant every word as he told her, "In a way I don't believe you really chose to be here. We did. So now I'm offering you a way back. _All_ of you." Taylor assured her, his eyes staring fixedly at hers and clasping his hands together after he'd spread his arms to indicate his offer was to all of them.

"Why won't you go?" She jerked her chin in his direction, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

Taylor shook his head at this, saying, "My place is here. With the colony. It's my duty to safeguard mankind's second chance at a future. Make sure we do it right this time." He briefly looked over his shoulder, at the men standing behind him and the others in the camp beyond who all stared in a dazed amazement at the portal which had so suddenly appeared in their midst. Seeing the same dedication and conviction that he felt about staying reflected in their eyes he added in a voice filled with pride, "They feel the same way."

Tearing his gaze away from the miraculous spectacle of the fracture Nathaniel stepped aside, as did those behind him, clearing a path for the Sixers. Mira stood back letting the others go before her with an intense yearning in her eyes. The six that had chosen to return to the colony didn't seem inclined in the least to join them so when the last of the Sixers had disappeared through the portal she simply nodded in their direction, a subtle acknowledgement of their choice and made to step through herself. Inches away from the spherical fracture she stopped in her tracks, staring at the ground apparently caught in some internal struggle. Nathaniel approached her, holding out his hand now their ways would part at last. She took it and held his gaze for a while. He could see grateful tears welling up in her eyes as her tough facade finally broke, "Thank you."

Nathaniel inclined his head towards her in mutual respect, then let go off her hand. Mira smiled, a rare curve of her lips usually a thin line, and turned around towards the portal with a hopeful glint shining through in her dark eyes. Rippling the surface one last time she stepped through the gateway, then it flickered and instantly dissolved in a violent gust of wind.

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Thanks for Reading & Let me know what you think! :=)


	27. Chapter 27

**EFBT:** _I agree, more questions than answers, which is why I still haven't started writing part three haha ;) But that's also the joy of writing sometimes you know only a few of the pieces to the puzzle and you just have to start on the journey to find the other ones! Only a few more chapters for this story to go and then it's onwards to the sequel that I've just finished editing! :) Thanks for the review and continued support, I appreciate it!_

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 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

 **CHAPTER 27**

 **Return Journey**

 **HE** gave the sign to move out not fifteen minutes after the portal had shut down. Seated next to Dunham in the rhino which had instantly sped away, he spared a last look through the rear view mirror at the ruins, not feeling the least bit of remorse in leaving. He wanted to return to the colony, they'd been away for several weeks now, and it would take at least one to get back.

Trusting Jim Shannon had taken good care of it in his absence he wasn't worried about what they'd find once they'd arrived, but he found himself longing for a few quiet hours in his office. Maybe there, far away from the Badlands and all that had happened there, he could reflect and somehow come to grips with it all. Not so much for himself, but for the sake of the colony he knew that, despite his fresh wounds and old scars, he had to try.

Remembering his promise to Mira to take care of the Sixers, or ex-Sixers as he supposed he ought to refer to them now, instinct told him that it was going to be a particularly tricky business. But he wouldn't go back on his word, if they made sure they'd deserved it each of them could earn a spot back in the colony. Nathaniel grinned when he realized the absurdity of that contemplation, a couple of months ago he would've gladly hunted them down to the very last man for collaborating with the Phoenix Group. And now he was practically welcoming them back open armed inside their gates. Though he'd make damn sure this gesture of his good will wasn't going to appear as a reward for betrayal, let alone forgiveness for committed crimes.

Nathaniel flicked a quick look at Dunham next to him, making sure the young Corporal had his eyes on the road, then dug deep in the inner pocket of his jacket and took out an old brownish wad of parchment or something very much like it; Mira had deftly given it to him when they'd shaken hands that final time. Carefully unfolding it Nathaniel examined it with a thorough look. It appeared to be made from some kind of leathery material, for a split second it reminded him of a wing from one of those ptera-somethings, he quickly pushed that slightly disturbing thought away and focused on the writings on it instead.

With an excited jolt her realized he was looking at a detailed map of possibly every camp the Sixers had ever stayed in. Finding it wise to keep this information to himself for now, Nathaniel folded up the map again and buried it in his inner pocket, determined to pay each of those camps a visit; he had a hunch there might be something worth finding there..

Over the next couple of days they made surprisingly good progress, fortunately not running into anything that wanted to eat them and without any of their vehicles breaking down. Nathaniel felt a great relief when he spotted the lush world so different from the barren wasteland of the Badlands on their fourth day; somehow being surrounded again by the leafy and green jungle he already felt more at ease. No matter how harsh it got out here, it was this place that reminded him the most that surviving was in his blood.

He welcomed the sensation that he was now somewhere again where he felt like he belonged and whose subtle signs he could read. Moreover, despite his dreams, which were still haunted by Lucas, being on the move again had helped him focus on getting back to the colony instead of on his grief. Though no matter how hard he tried the realization of his son's death still hit him like a punch in the gut repeated over and over again.

Something that was growing increasingly heavier on his mind, however, was Hera, and the solitude that she seemed to favor whenever they'd set up camps. She would spent some time with her squad, Sergeant Reilly or Malcolm, but then she would inevitably retreat to some solitary corner or their deserted rover and keep to herself for long hours. It pained him to see her this quiet and struggling with something on her own when he wanted to help. When he'd hoped she would know she could always come to him for that. But she hadn't come to him. Not yet. And he wasn't sure whether he was annoyed or sad because of it. Though, if he was right in his guess, and she was figuring out a way to come to terms with Wash's death and everything else that had happened to her on this mission, he realized that perhaps she wanted, or needed, to do that by herself.

Averting his gaze from her as she sat on the edge of their camp one night, half hidden in the shadows and gazing pensively into the dark jungle beyond, Nathaniel tried to repress a growing worry settling in his chest like a restless insect that kept stirring and buzzing him as if distracting him on purpose.

He shoved his meager dinner aside, not in the mood for food and got to his feet telling himself inwardly for the umpteenth time he was simply keeping an eye out for her as any commanding officer would do for his newly promoted Sergeant. Especially as she'd been Wash's particular protege and he'd always taken a special interest in her progress because of that. Though he found it hard to explain to himself why every time he chanced a look at her it seemed an unearthly happiness instantly mingled with intense sadness. He doubted that strange combination of feelings had anything to do with his instinctive inclination to look out for one of his soldiers.

For years now he'd thought the colony was enough to fill that gaping hole inside of him. That it was rewarding enough to dedicate himself to ensure it flourished, even if that meant sacrificing himself, _especially_ when it meant sacrificing himself. It had helped him find a purpose for his life, give him a reason for being alive again.

He had no idea how it'd happened but part of him was glad, relieved even, that he'd found someone that made him feel like this. Of course, he'd never been really alone. Wash had always been there, the most treasured friendship he'd ever harbored for anyone. And the colonists and his soldiers had been there. They were truly like his family. And yet, Nathaniel realized as he longingly gazed up at the leafy canopy above and the heavens beyond, unwillingly Hera had reminded him of his true loneliness; _of just how much he wanted that to be over_ …

Resuming his aimless maundering he allowed his thoughts to wander and headed back for their camp from which he'd unconsciously strayed. A part of him feared he'd let Hera face hardships she hadn't been ready for. Although it might just be his imagination but every time he talked to her these days it seemed a cloud passed over her face which he couldn't explain or trace to anything he'd said. Guilt told him he should've shielded her better, so soon after Wash's death, though he couldn't deny she'd borne it all bravely. Moreover, he didn't doubt his instinct, well Wash's instinct technically, in that it had been right in seeing in her the good soldier and officer she could become. She _had_ become.

Still, there was this gnawing sensation in him, reprimanding him that he should've taken better care of her. But, if he was truly honest with himself, and the mission had forced him to be just that, _uncomfortably honest_ , he knew deep down that the way he really wanted to take care of her was impossible.. _And he needed to put it out of his mind_ , he told himself sternly, impatiently tearing his eyes away when, on reentering the camp, they'd strayed to Hera's huddled and fragile shape again. _Problem was_ , he thought as he finally abandoned his restless pacing and sat down again, _he wasn't sure he could_ …

* * *

If he hadn't been this tired and sore because of the last trying days in the barren wasteland of the Badlands, the fact that he hadn't had more time to delve through all those records and scrolls teeming with knowledge on those first colonists would have been more than enough to put him into a foul mood for the rest of his life. Alleviating the immense disappointment, however, was the century old logbook he'd grabbed, seconds before the pyro sonic charge had incinerated all of the archives, reducing the painstakingly collected knowledge to ash in a mere heartbeat. At first glance he had instinctively known it must have come from the very ship of which its prow had made its way to the colony and he hadn't been able to resist the powerful urge to take it with him. Now, their return journey nearing an end, he felt even more relieved and excited when he'd found out what exactly he had saved from the clutches of that terrible and irrevocable end.

Looking cautiously over his shoulder to check no one was watching Malcolm zipped his backpack open, dug deep and took out a the heavy rectangular object he'd wrapped in one of his shirts. With a hungry look he held it in one hand, carefully unwrapping it as if he was peeling the skin of a rare and delicious fruit of which he wanted to savor every moment it was lying in his hands. A broad grin spread across his triumphant face as he greedily took in every inch of this journey's true treasure; _hundreds of pages filled with notes on the time fracture and its appearances in the Badlands_.

Malcolm greedily took in the myriad of recorded data on the frequency, duration and location of the time rift, his heart almost jumping out of his chest as he tried to decipher the curly letters scribbled down in ink which glimmered gleefully for a moment in the purplish light of the day's last sunlight creeping through the dense foliage around him. He couldn't wait to get back to his lab and start his thorough research on it.

Startled, Malcolm hastily rewrapped the old tattered book and shoved it unceremoniously into his pack when he heard twigs behind him snap. Next moment Sergeant Reilly had come up to him.

"What were you looking at?" She asked him, seeing through his what he'd hoped was as innocent a look as possible.

"Nothing.." He told her, voice guilt-ridden and quickly zipping up his backpack again. Reilly eyed him suspiciously for a moment, remarking in a slightly frustrated tone, "Everyone's hiding something these days, it seems."

"W-What do you mean-" Malcolm began then, following her gaze he could just make out the contours of Hera in the failing light; she was sitting by herself in the rover, knees pulled up and tapping absentmindedly with her fingers on the door frame. "Yes.." He answered her thoughtfully, then added, "I'm sure she's just tired and ready to go home, like the rest of us."

He hoped that would suffice in reassuring Reilly next to him, just to make sure it was he threw her a friendly look. Reilly nodded, casting a last curious look at his backpack which made him almost tempted to divulge its secret to her there and then.

The moment passed however, and Reilly nudged his shoulder, "There's dinner if you want it." She said, adding with a jerk of her chin towards one of the campfires behind her, "Your assistant prepared it though." She wrinkled her nose then leaned forward in a conspiring manner. "Word of the wise, say yes to the soup and no to the stew."

Malcolm smiled at her sense of humor and the contagious twinkle in her eyes. "Will do." He told her. As she made to go, heading for the rover to get Hera, Malcolm promptly got to his feet and held her back, saying, "I'll get her. You go and save us a seat." Reilly held his gaze for a moment, perhaps wondering if what Malcolm was hiding could possibly relate to Hera, then decided to unravel that mystery some other time and nodded in his direction.

Malcolm watched her go and take up her seat, no more than an obliging tree trunk, next to Doctor Chekov. Seeing his assistant it was forcefully brought home to him again how Doctor Johnson was no longer there with them. Never would be again. Swallowing hard and trying not to think back on how he'd died, Malcolm turned away from the group of people gathered around the fire. At least they'd made sure to give him a proper grave on the edge of the ruins before leaving, Malcolm thought, in an attempt to appease even a small portion of the burning guilt he wasn't sure would ever leave him again.

He slowly walked up to the rover, one half of it swallowed by the deepening dusk, the other basking in the glow of the collection of campfires scattered across their camp. Hearing him approach Hera stirred and got out, looking pale and preoccupied.

"Dinner?" She guessed and he nodded at her in affirmation. He opened his mouth, then soon closed it again as he realized that, despite the fact he'd planned on saying something to lift her mood, he actually hadn't thought of what to say yet. To buy himself some time he ran a hand through his hair and, upon perceiving her brows creasing in confusion, gave up on trying to find the right words and hastily stammered, "So.. Um.. What do you make of those Sixers tagging along for the ride?"

She took some time to think that over, then, when apparently no answer readily presented itself, simply shrugged.

"Do you really think Commander Taylor is going to let them stay?" He went on to ask her rather awkwardly, but all too aware this very likely wasn't the conversation his friend needed right now.

She looked lost in thought for a moment, casting her eyes down. Vaguely waving a hand around as if she'd rather toss that question aside right now, Hera eventually answered him curtly, "He's generally a man of his word, I guess.." Her voice trailed away, leaving him to attach her conclusion derived from that short answer by himself.

"Right.." He mumbled, deciding a second later he was going to try a different tactic, "Hungry?" He was relieved to see that she looked up with something of a weak smile at this.

"Sure.." She admitted and together they left the rover behind to join the others while Malcolm made a mental note to himself to read up on how to properly comfort friends as soon as they'd be back.

Probably a more pressing matter now, however, as he realized when he sat down in front of two steaming bowls both with indistinguishable contents, was figuring out which to take. Malcolm sighed, not daring to look up in Doctor Chekov's beaming face and expecting eyes, as he picked a bowl, praying inwardly it was the soup.

* * *

Thanks for Reading & Let me know what you think! :=)


	28. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

* * *

 **CHAPTER 28**

 **Confession**

 **THINKING** everyone had been fast asleep, Hera could just in time repress a startled yelp when the ferns rustled and Evans appeared suddenly out of the clutches of the dark jungle. Despite the late hour, the night was filled with the usual noises produced by a myriad of bugs and dinosaurs, the latter fortunately no more than the occasional far-off wailing or cry. Having been absorbed in thought she hadn't noticed his approach at all. Hera let out a long breath in relief and felt her heartbeat resume its normal pace again, effectively chastised that she needed to make sure never again to be so easily surprised in a jungle where danger could potentially be lurking behind every tree or shrub. That, and do something about her apparently bad conscious.

"Couldn't sleep either?" Evans inquired, yawning despite the fact that he obviously hadn't been able to himself.

"Must be the stew." Hera admitted, rubbing her painful stomach, though doubting it was really hurting because of that; it was far more likely her nerves for what she was planning to do that made it feel this queasy. Evans nodded in understanding nonetheless, buying into her excuse.

"Yeah, know what you mean." He concurred and grimaced at the thought of Doctor Chekov's dodgy cookery skills. The ferns rustled again and Scott stepped out of the shadows.

"Up to no good, are we?" She asked them with her usual cheeky grin when she joined them.

"Define _no good_." Evans bounced back the question with a nonchalant shrug.

"Trashing Chekov's food?" Hera supplied in a dry tone, inviting amused sniggers from the two of them.

"If that's no good, I happily plead guilty." Evans remarked, an almost proud look in his eyes.

"Me too." Scott confessed honestly then, like Evans and Hera, turned around abruptly at the sounds of rustling leaves. This time it was Miller who appeared, looking sleepy and rubbing in her eyes to check she wasn't dreaming before saying, "I thought I'd heard voices.."

"Sorry about that." Hera threw her an apologetic look, realizing at the same time that any chance of solitary reflection was pretty remote now. Looking from Miller to Evans and Scott, though, she didn't remotely regret their company. It was definitely a welcome distraction from her brooding thoughts and the course of action it seemed inevitably to steer her towards these days.

"So, let me get this straight, is Hernandez really the only one who can sleep tonight?" Hera could hear Evans wonder out loud when she tuned back into their conversation.

"He's always the only one that can sleep." Scott told him, leaning in and adding in a confidential whisper, "Never hears a damn thing-" She was suddenly interrupted by Hernandez's sturdy voice, "Actually, I do. I _did_.." There was a brief tense silence then his enigmatic smile broke through the scowl on his face.

"Good of you to join us." Evans welcomed him and patted his squad member on his shoulders. An excited spark in his eyes he looked around at everyone for a moment. "So.. how about a round of cards?" He finally suggested, broadly grinning. Slightly amused by the others looking at her for permission, Hera shrugged, "Why not. Our shift starts in an hour anyway, not much point in going back to bed now."

Her mind not entirely on the game Hera hardly wondered at the fact that she was losing round after round, which unfortunately started to attract the attention of her squad. Not wanting them to find out her thoughts were far away from poker she simply blamed it all on sheer bad luck and got up to check in with Sergeant Reilly.

They were supposed to take over sentry duty for the few remaining hours until daylight and Hera gladly took the opportunity to order the others to carry out a quick perimeter check while she talked with the Sergeant. Looking over her shoulder and watching the four of them disperse, Evans hastily tucking his deck of cards back into his backpack, a guilty pang shot through her.

She wondered if they'd follow her when she managed to go through with her plan. _The idiotic and bound to fail plan she had concocted over the last few days_ , _that was_ , Hera thought and started on her search for Reilly. Moreover, a plan she didn't like one bit but which was starting to look like the only one left to her. The only other option, which was much worse, would be to quit, in other words give up altogether, which would effectively mean she'd have to part with all of them. Part with the person she'd become.. _No_ , Hera adamantly shook her head to herself, _that wasn't really an option_.

If there was only someone she could confide in.. Someone who could tell her she was going nuts and that she needed to pretend she wasn't feeling this way and then simply forget all about it. No matter how much she cared for and trusted them, Hera knew she couldn't possibly tell her squad. Nor Sergeant Reilly. Not even Malcolm, she felt she'd already caused him to worry about her state of mind in his own clumsy but kind way. _So.._ Hera thought and heaved a heavy sigh, something she didn't seem to run out of lately, _What other choice did she really have.._?

"Ah. Sergeant Hallows. Right on cue." Hera quickly forced herself to store away her pensive mood for later when she'd reached Sergeant Reilly even before she'd consciously became aware of the fact that she'd found her.

"Ma'am." She returned Reilly's greeting, nodding in way of a salute. "Anything to report before I dispatch my squad to run patrols?" Hera went on to ask her.

Reilly shook her head almost instantly, "Negative. All quiet. Well, relatively speaking." She smiled when a particularly loud squeal pierced through the air, seemingly contradicting her statement. "Wouldn't want to be in that fellow's shoes right now." Reilly jerked her head back in the direction of where the shrill cry had come from. "Though I guess it's a good thing there's a less hungry dinosaur out there now and it's not just us they like to snack on." She chattered on good-humoredly.

"Mmm." Hera concurred in a vague murmur, thinking back of the Slasher that had nearly killed Malcolm and herself, not two weeks ago.

"I'd better round up the others to start our patrol, then." She told Sergeant Reilly when other, less dinosaur related, memories of the mission threatened to spill out. "Ma'am." After a rather halfhearted salute she turned around and walked off, hoping her efforts to not get tangled up in her depressing thoughts again would be successful.

The moment they passed Ghost Valley the next day, Hera knew she was running out of time. After nine days their journey home was almost at an end. In fact, Hera realized as she got out from behind the wheel and stepped into a darkening jungle, this time tomorrow, they'd be back..

Running away from that looming thought she busied herself with checking the rover's condition and the usual tasks involved when setting up their camp.

Then, mumbling an excuse about not feeling very hungry yet, she skipped dinner and meticulously tended to their campfire instead. At last, when she couldn't think of anything else to keep her hands and more importantly her mind busy she finally sank down on the trunk of a withered tree crawling with ferns. Staring into the flames the thoughts she had tried so hard to keep at bay inevitably started to prey on her again and she soon succumbed to giving in to them.

No matter from what direction she came at it, it all came down to that one pressing fact: _she had to tell Commander Taylor the truth_. After all, Hera was pretty sure she wasn't supposed to feel the way she did towards her commanding officer. And she was getting sick and tired of denying it to herself. Of keeping it all inside, where, she was sure, it was slowly destroying her. If Terra Nova really was mankind's second chance, _her_ second chance, then she had to do things right this time..

 _But what if now was not the right time_? Her doubts argued when they entered the battlefield of her heavy thoughts, upon which her heart joined the discussion, telling her that if she didn't tell him now she might never have the courage to do so ever again.. And yet she was far from certain as to how to convince Commander Taylor to grant her the request for a transfer; to be sent to an outpost, far away from the colony, far away from _him_. For how could she resume her duties when every day it felt like she was living a lie more and more?

Then again, she thought, tensing up and biting her lower lip in the process, _how_ could she tell him about her reasons for wanting that transfer? _By telling the truth_ , that annoying little voice she suspected was her conscious urged her once again, it had been prodding her incessantly ever since leaving the Badlands as if it didn't approve of her ambivalence and inability to make up her mind as to what to do. Though perhaps the agony of locking up her heart again more and more was simply the price she had to pay even though Terra Nova had been the one place she'd had dared to open it.

Hera let her eyes wander from the flames of the fire to her squad, chatting and enjoying each other's company, gently teasing Malcolm now and then though Reilly had teamed up with him and their remarks were more often than not turned against them. Their laughter and mirth almost made her abandon her plan to confess to Commander Taylor, fearing that in doing so she would risk the harmony existing between all of them. But she knew she couldn't be a good leader if she was waging a war against herself. She had fought one before and if it had not been for Terra Nova, she would've undoubtedly lost that battle. Together with Wash she'd fought it and won. She couldn't let herself be defeated now.

Hera pressed a clenched fist to her mouth, thinking back of Wash had brought up a lot of memories now irrevocably playing themselves in her mind like a movie she couldn't nor wanted to stop as it made her feel closer to her lost leader. Picturing Wash's stern but caring look which she missed so much despite the fact that it could x-ray her anytime, Hera had a pretty good hunch of what she would say to her in that calm and steady voice of hers: _if you know your own heart, then what are you waiting for_?

Strengthened and spurred on by imagining Wash's advice Hera abruptly came to her feet. If there was one thing she had taught her it was not to walk away from something no matter how daunting or even terrifying it seemed. And it was about time she stopped walking away.

"Where are you going?" Malcolm asked her, looking up from his meal with a spoon in one hand a bowl with rice and badly burned vegetables in the other.

"Nowhere.." She replied absentmindedly, "Just going for a walk." Without looking directly at him, or at any of the others, Hera headed straight for the edge of their camp.

She came out on a small gravel beach running alongside a winding river. Looking around she soon spotted his familiar silhouette standing out on the bank of the river, absorbed in watching the currents of the river. _If only she could pour out her heart in it instead so it would be taken away from her and carried off by the stream of deep blue water, never to bother her again_ , Hera thought as she felt her heartbeat increase rapidly. Glancing back at the jungle behind her, she was almost tempted to make a run for it now she still could.

"Something on your mind?" Commander Taylor suddenly asked her, the grinding sound of the pebbles underfoot had already told him she was there. Hera whisked around like a startled fox at hearing his voice.

"Yes." She forced herself to answer straightway, wishing her voice would stop trembling, her entire body would stop trembling, under his inquiring gaze.

"Thought you had.." He admitted, his disarming smile making blood rush to her cheeks. "Look.. I know this mission has been kinda tough on you." Commander Taylor went on when she barely managed to swallow down more nerves threatening to paralyze everything from her toes to her very thoughts.

"You uh.. You hanging in there ok?" He probed carefully as he approached her, looking fixedly at her with eyes full of genuine concern. "You know, whatever it is that's troubling you… If there's anything I can do..?" He offered with that same smile again which made it even more difficult to find her voice.

"There's something I need to tell you. Well, it's more a favor I want to ask of you. Sir." She finally managed to say feebly.

Commander Taylor nodded instantly, "Of course. I'm listening."

Clasping her hands together behind her back as if to brace herself for what she was about to say Hera began, "I uh.. I would like to request a transfer."

"Transfer?" He repeated in obvious surprise, "Where to?"

"Outpost Three.. With your permission, of course. Sir." She blurted out hastily, realizing how strange it must have sounded seeing that it was the colony's most remote outpost. She blinked when he stared intently at her for a moment, turning her sudden request over in his mind.

"Devil's Canyon?" Commander Taylor said at last in a tone of wonder, brows furrowed in apparent confusion, "Why?"

Hera shifted her weight from one foot to the other, groping around in her head for the right thing to say. Desperately stalling for more time to prepare herself she settled on saying in a timid voice, "Because I could use the extra field experience and.. And I need to spent some time away from the colony.."

Commander Taylor averted his eyes, briefly pressing a hand against his forehead, seemingly lost in thought. "I don't understand.." He eventually shook his head, "What do you want to leave the colony for?"

Hera unfolded her hands, keeping her arms close to her side and clenching her fists. "Because.. Because of.. My feelings.." She stammered, cursing the fact that she sounded so incoherent and awkward but working her way to speak the words she knew she was so close to now nonetheless.

She forced herself to go on, not daring to look him in the eye as she mustered all her courage to say in a voice reduced to a trembling whisper, "Because of my feelings for you. Sir." Her heart skipped at least one beat as she realized what she'd said.

Hera instantly cast her eyes down where they darted searchingly from one pebble to the next, all failing to give her the support she needed. Then, she quickly moved on now he was still too stunned at her confession to say anything. "I-I know I'm not supposed to say this. I mean you're my superior officer.. But if I don't tell you now, I feel I might…"

Her voice trailed off, still unable to look up she continued pouring out her heart for fear that if she stopped now the rest of her confession wasn't going to come out anymore, and she needed to tell him all, spill out the suffocating emotions she'd kept to herself, that had been trapped in her heart for so long now. "Sir.. Not telling you this felt like lying. To myself. To _you_. And I don't want to do that anymore. I've tried to stop myself, control my feelings.. But it's no use.. I'm sorry, I simply can't be this close to you and not want.. _More_.."

She realized her voice had grown louder and she blushed at her own fervor that had seeped through in it, taking a step back as he came closer, "Please sir, you don't have to say anything." She instantly begged him, "I'm not even sure if I'm doing the right thing here. I mean, the last thing I want is burden you more what with the Sixers and Lu- And.. Your son.."

She silently shook her head, fighting back tears and pleaded, "I just hope you can forgive me. I didn't mean to disappoint you." Hera swallowed hard, adding with an empty business like voice that wasn't like her own at all, "If you'd prefer me handing in my resignation once we're back.. I'd understand." Although not daring to look up at him she knew instinctively he was about to respond. Overcome by fear and embarrassment of what he was going to say she broke in before he could say anything, "I'm sorry… Really, I am-" Her voice broke and she turned around, at last giving in to her impulse to run.

"Wait!" Commander Taylor called after her, grabbing her by one arm and holding her back. She struggled as he forced her to face him, tears running down her blushing cheeks,

"Please, sir, you don't understand..! If you will not accept my resignation then send me away to some outpost or other, I don't care which one anymore, I cannot leave your side out of my own free will, please, just give me the order and I'll go. _Please.._ " She begged him, her voice desperate. Angry at losing control Hera pulled herself free and instantly fled to the dark embrace of the dense jungle.

"Sergeant- _Hera_..!" She could hear Commander Taylor call after her, making her increase her pace, every step that took her away from him weighing her down.

 _He knew the truth_.. That one terrifying and yet soothing thought echoed through her mind. She knew she loved him, had for several agonizingly long months now. Like she had never loved anyone before. It was different from how she'd cared for Wash who she'd considered the older sister and mentor she'd never had, or Malcolm who was the closest friend she'd ever had, certainly the only one from 2149. Not like the comradery she shared with her squad either. Perhaps love was something she couldn't quite grasp herself yet, and yet it was more profound than anything she'd ever felt before and growing so strong it'd been impossible to ignore.

And now, her secret was out, though it would probably take a long time to make her feel relieved about what she'd done. Shivers were traveling down her entire body as she rushed through the jungle. She avoided the camp, simply keeping the lights of the handful of campfires to her left. It didn't take her long to spot their rover, though she couldn't tell how she'd managed to find it now her thoughts were tangled in a confusing blur and her heart was hammering wildly against her ribs.

Hiding away behind the rover she slid down to the ground and quickly buried her hands in her face to muffle the sounds of her violent sobs, hoping that her heart wouldn't break under the strain of so many tears that now seemed to endlessly pour out of it.

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Thanks for Reading & Let me know what you think! :=)


	29. Chapter 29

**Ryekerb** : I love your enthusiasm, seriously, that's so motivating! :D Thanks a lot for leaving me a review, I appreciate it! Hope you'll like the rest of the story too!

 **EFBT** : Yeah, kinda felt mean for not allowing Nathaniel time to respond but knowing myself to be the coward that I am I totally get why Hera runs..it's what I would've done! haha Still, she can't run forever and he's definitely gonna want to talk to her about it… ooh a man with a mission! ;p And yes, Malcom will have to learn to share his new toy at some point, but we're looking at part three for that so he's still got plenty of time left. And, yes, you might have mentioned it before but I really can't get enough of reading that you're enjoying my silly fanfic! For me reading commodity was the exact same, it's jus such an awesome feeling to play around in the Terra Nova universe and then follow stories other people wrote and the not knowing what's going to happen next is what makes it so much fun! Already looking forward to whenever you'll start posting your new story! :D :D :D

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

 **CHAPTER 29**

 **Homecoming**

 **LOOKING** around him at all the people gathered to welcome them home, Malcolm knew he could easily get used to the thunderous applause and many smiles awaiting them when they passed the gates. He got out of the rover, broadly grinning, the very next moment he was busy shaking hands and receiving pats on his back. In all the bustle his assistant, Doctor Chekov, even managed to fling her arms around him. He smiled awkwardly at her, trying his best to untangle himself from her as soon as he could. Luckily the perfect opportunity for that conveniently arose when everyone's attention was drawn to Commander Taylor. Malcolm fixed his eyes on the proud man standing in the center of the square, surveying with a solemn look those around him.

Spreading his hands the Commander addressed all of them in his low booming voice, "Thank you. For being here and welcoming us back. We've had several trying weeks out there.." He wavered for a moment and Malcolm could see a dark cloud passing over his face. Then, Commander Taylor shook his head and a weary smile parted his lips, "Even though we reached our goal, did what we set out to do, I'm sure that I speak for everyone when I say that it sure is good to be home again." His words met with another round of applause and jubilant cheering.

Commander Taylor turned to his soldiers again, focusing on organizing their arrival and the bustle around him soon resumed; a few colonists were still hugging their loved ones while the majority of the soldiers started unpacking the rovers. Malcolm knew, however, as he watched it drive on and disappear around the corner, that the Rhino would have to wait unloading its passengers; it transported the six former Sixers. He didn't doubt they'd be heading straight for either the barracks or even the brig. Malcolm ran a hand through his hair, not sure why all this secrecy, although necessary, was making him feel this itchy. Nor did he understand the sensation of pity that stirred in him as he imagined the Sixers doomed to be locked up. After all, it was only to be expected that they were treated this way, for now at least.

And yet, Malcolm thought as he got his backpack from the backseat of the rover, instinct told him Commander Taylor would do well to keep his promise to Mira. Offer them a chance to become a part of the colony again. If he didn't.. Then those Sixers might potentially wrench away from them that recently reacquired and hard won peace. And he simply didn't want to imagine what the Commander, a man known to show less mercy than a Carnotaurus, would do to them if that were to happen.

"Where do you want this, Doctor?" Malcolm whipped around to find Corporal Dunham walking up to him, carrying a heavy crate in his hands.

"Uh.. Wait. I'll go with you." He offered and quickly abandoned his premature fretting. Leaving the bulky crate to Dunham and picking up a considerably smaller one himself he showed him the way to his laboratory.

Excited at the prospect of finally being back in his favorite and natural habitat of plant samples and glassware with liquids broiling away in the middle of some fascinating chemical process or other, Malcolm held the door open and excitedly followed Dunham inside.

He went straight for his office, placing the small container on his desk next to his inactive plex-pad which he threw a longing look. Not able to resist the temptation he unslung his pack and sat down behind the desk, reveling for a moment in the comfort of his chair, the cool breeze from the air-conditioning on his tanned face, simply enjoying the cleanliness of everything around him. Especially appreciating the lack of sand and glaring sunlight overhead burning through his skull.

"Um… So.. _Where_ can I put this?" Dunham asked him in an exhausted voice, standing in front of his desk and looking as if he had to strain every muscle to keep from dropping the oversized crate. Malcolm hastily showed the corporal where to store the crate for now. Visibly relieved to have gotten rid of the weight Dunham nodded once in his usual friendly way and was gone. Watching him go Malcolm was sure he'd think twice before helping him again. Stepping inside his office, though, he soon forgot his guilt and found himself actually and heartily agreeing with the Commander for once; it _was_ good to be home again.

Feeling he'd turn in for an early night and prepare for tomorrow's debriefing in the morning, Malcolm left his lab again an hour later. With the old logbook foremost in his mind he told his staff not to touch anything in his absence and stepped outside into a muggy evening. He'd only gone a few yards in the direction of his home when he ran into Hera. One look at her unhappy face made him instantly change his plans for the evening.

"Bad day?" He inquired needlessly. She shrugged, mumbling something incoherent and straining herself to look as if she was feeling all right. Never having been a particularly good liar it didn't convince him in the least. "How about a drink?" He suggested, trying not to sound as if he thought she looked like she needed one. Truth of it was, though, she did. Hera hesitated, seemingly torn between accepting his offer or resume her solitary brooding.

Making the decision on her behalf, Malcolm kindly pushed her in the right direction. Next moment they entered Boylan's bar, as usual filled to the brim with lively chatter and the odd boisterous customer.

He ordered drinks, careful not to spill anything as he walked over to the table Hera had picked, tucked away in one of the many nooks and corners of the bar. Making sure to plant the stronger of the two drinks in front of her they toasted in silence, Hera taking a generous swig of hers and he taking a cautious sip from his own. It tasted all right, considering it was Boylan's own recipe, Malcolm thought, smiling at the sense of nostalgia that stirred in him.

"I've got a feeling no one will believe what we found in the Badlands when we tell them about it in tomorrow's meeting. And I can't blame them.." He admitted, taking another sip of his drink.

Already halfway through hers, Hera nodded and muttered darkly, "Yeah, I know.. Really looking forward to that one.." Getting to her feet she downed the rest of her drink and threw him a questioning look. When he shook his head she walked over to the bar and returned not a minute later with a new drink in her hand.

As she sat down, hands folded around the glass in front of her and eyes blankly staring at the swirling drink inside, something suddenly clicked in his mind. Realizing the source for her feeling this blue he could hit himself on the head for not seeing it sooner.

"You've told Commander Taylor how you feel about him, haven't you?" He asked her, lowering his voice and leaning forward. Seeing the startled look in her widened eyes he could easily guess at the answer to that question. After a moment of hesitation, opening and closing her mouth again, she simply nodded in affirmation.

"What did he say?" He couldn't refrain from asking her, bringing his drink to his mouth and taking another sip to give her some time to gather her thoughts and think of how to tackle his sincere curiosity.

"I.. uh.. I sort of ran away before he could say anything." She confessed, color rising; not just as a result of the fact that she'd emptied her second glass immediately after.

Knowing he'd run the risk of sounding meddlesome Malcolm shoved his drink in her direction in way of support and said, "You know, if you're not going to give him a chance to answer you then what was the point in telling-"

"Malcolm." Hera interrupted him, gratefully raising his drink to her mouth and holding it there for a moment, "I appreciate what you're trying to do, really I do, but just don't get involved, okay?" She warned him, her voice slightly testy.

Respecting the boundaries she'd clearly set for him now, Malcolm accepted defeat. He raised his hands in surrender, "Fair enough." Then added in a tone of genuine concern, "But if there's anything I can do-"

Hera shook her head before he could finish. Suddenly squinting her eyes at him she went on to remark, "So, when were you planning on finally showing me that book you brought home as a souvenir?"

"What?" He replied completely caught off guard, hastily adding, "Oh, I-I was going to ask you to help me study it-" He abandoned that sentence and frowned instead, "Wait.. How did you know I had one?"

"Reilly caught a glimpse of it, told me all about it, based on her description it wasn't that hard to figure out what it was." Hera explained and winked, "Guess I'm not the only one bad at keeping secrets."

Malcolm smiled, not of a mind to deny that obvious truth and shook his head in amused disbelief. Lifting her glass invitingly at him Hera raised her voice, "Cheers!" Realizing a split second later she was holding his drink which left him effectively empty-handed; they locked eyes for a moment, both bursting out laughing the next.

Several drinks later they left the warmth and noises of the bar again and stepped out onto a deserted square. Taking in a refreshing lungful of air and rewinding their long conversation in his head they slowly made their way around it. As they passed the gates he was reminded of the plan she'd let slip. Malcolm stood still, waited for Hera to realize he had and started when she turned around to face him, "I doubt you'll be send there, but if you really are going to Outpost Three.. Let me know. Because I'll be coming with you."

Hera took a few unbalanced steps towards him, tears suddenly glinting in her eyes. "Thanks."

Together they resumed their walk, then, when an afterthought hit him, Malcolm added dryly, "Better bring a lot of coffee with you though, you know how cranky I get when I'm low on caffeine."

Smiling, Hera nodded in understanding, turning around and walking backwards a few steps when they'd reached his home.

"Good night." Malcolm said, rummaging in the pocket of his jacket for a key. She returned it with a somewhat sloppy salute, then disappeared around the corner.

He didn't know whether it was the alcohol in his system telling him this, but somehow despite the fact the she might not know it yet, he had a hunch she was going to be okay.

And so was he; he'd survived the Badlands and was now but all too eager to reap its rewards. He reached for the lock, key in his hand, when he changed his mind. Turning around abruptly he headed back in the opposite direction, envisioning the ink stained, tattered book, urging him on as he assured himself there'd still be time to prepare that meeting in the morning.

Thanks for Reading & Let me know what you think! :=)


	30. Chapter 30

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

 **CHAPTER 30**

 **Hide and Seek**

 **THE** colony had turned into something of a beehive, Nathaniel thought, when he took in the square and the lively and rather noisy activity on it. Everywhere people were gathered to welcome back their coworkers, friends and family members. Most of them also helping out with unloading all of their equipment and luggage, including a dozen crates containing the artefacts they'd brought back from the Badlands for further study.

As he instructed his soldiers where to store everything he could see how, from the corner of his eyes, the rhino slowly drove on and disappeared from view without anyone seeming to notice it. He was grateful for Sergeant Reilly's cooperation and tactful discretion. As much as he disliked keeping things from the colonists, including the majority of the security forces, there was no way he'd allow those Sixers to just barge in like that; parade and all.

No. They'd have to earn the right to be welcomed back. And right now, the brig was good enough. Besides, he was locking them up as much for their own protection as for that of the colonists, he told himself, slamming the rover's door shut. He briefly rapped it to let Dunham who'd just returned behind the wheel know he was good to go.

Nathaniel watched it drive off, hesitated for a moment longer when, after another thorough sweep of the square, he still couldn't spot who he was looking for, then looked up at his office. Ascending the stairs he felt his body protest, though his mind didn't experience the same need for rest. As he reached the balcony he couldn't resist the temptation to stop and, leaning on the frame, look out once more over that safe haven in Terra Nova that'd become home to him. He let his eyes wander, inadvertently searching for her again in the crowd, then slowly turned around to face Jim Shannon as he joined him.

"Seems you had quite the adventure out there.." His sheriff smiled good-humoredly coming to a standstill next to him.

"That we did.." Nathaniel admitted, a collection of very different memories instantly flashing through his mind.

"I have to say I found it hard to believe what you told me about it in our radio transmission this morning." Shannon explained, squeezing his eyes a bit as if he was still trying to imagine the events he'd told him of, "And I wasn't the only one, Major Croft was certain that virus we encountered before had come back with a vengeance."

"Did she now?" Nathaniel remarked with a wry smile curving his lips, not surprised at his Major doubting his sanity once again.

"Don't worry, in the end we all decided to believe you." Shannon reassured him, a hint of loyalty in his voice.

"Good to hear.." Nathaniel told him, somewhat absentmindedly but thankful for the support he was sure Shannon had shown him. Giving up on scanning the people busily swarming over the square, he turned around and stepped inside his office, Jim Shannon close behind.

Dragging his fingers over the glass desk as if to familiarize them with the smooth surface of it again Nathaniel walked around it but didn't sit down. Instead he walked over to one of the many windows, casting a long look outside.

"Listen.. I'm sure it's not something you'd like to talk about right now, but uh.." Shannon began, only partly interpreting his silence correctly, "I'm sorry about what happened to Lucas.."

Eyes instinctively cast down, Nathaniel had to swallow hard before answering him. "Appreciate that, Shannon." He could hear his sheriff drawing in a breath to say something else on the topic. Not giving him the chance he cleared his throat meaningfully and directed a question at him instead, "So, you really didn't run into any problems while I was away?"

Judging by the frozen expression on Shannon's face he knew he'd gotten the message. Shrugging he answered him truthfully and in the same businesslike voice he himself had adopted, "Nothing. It was pretty much smooth sailing the entire time. Oh, well, except for that day when that Carnotaurus knocked on the gates."

"You told me there weren't any casualties?" Nathaniel whisked around to face him, brows creased in concern.

"No! No, there weren't. Sorry, didn't mean to worry you there." He hastily clarified, adding apologetically, "All it did was give us a good scare when it decided to ram the fence. But we made sure it soon regretted that though. Sergeant Baker took care of that."

"Good.." At ease again, Nathaniel aimlessly wandered back to his desk, half of a mind to sit down though he knew he was probably too restless to stay put behind it for long.

"Well.." Shannon started to say, taking a few steps back in the direction of the balcony outside, "I'm sure you'd like some time to settle in again." He was halfway to the opened doors when Nathaniel called him back. "Shannon."

He waited for the man to lock eyes with him, then said earnestly and meaning every word of it, "Thank you for taking such good care of the colony. I appreciate it." The former police detective waved a hand at him at this, humbly refusing to take all the credit. Nathaniel grinned at his gesture, "All right. See you at the debriefing tomorrow."

"Bright and early." Shannon responded and left him to himself.

Alone at last Nathaniel wasn't sure how exactly he was supposed to feel. Sinking down in his chair to stop himself giving in to the urge to pace up and down his office, he tried untangling the knot of contradicting emotions inside of him.

He was sad about Lucas, his grief still raw and heavy, at times hardly believing that his son had really died, and died before he could save him. But he was also immensely relieved at being back and finding the colony and everyone one in it safe and sound. Though this also brought with it a sense of guilt related to the loss of Doctor Johnson. He'd made sure, through Shannon, to inform his nearest co-workers of his unfortunate death before their arrival, feeling it was the least he could do. He also still felt it was his duty to assist Malcolm later in organizing a commemoration service for the archeologist.

And then, Nathaniel realized, tensing up at once, there was that other feeling dominating his heart; something between insane happiness and utter confusion that stirred in him as he thought back of last night and the words she'd spoken to him. Above all, he felt impatient to talk to her and he restlessly got to his feet again, thinking that although he'd returned to the same colony, his life in it was going to change.

Before he could stop himself, he ignored his inner reasoning that reminded him of his duties as the colony's leader and headed outside again. Determined to speak to her he shoved aside all thought of debriefings, reports and even their six guests in the brig as he rushed down the stairs and onto the now deserted square.

* * *

A night tossing and turning in his bed hadn't improved his mood the next morning when it came early and rather cloudy. In an attempt to wash away his bad mood and growing frustration Nathaniel skipped breakfast and got into the shower instead; closing his eyes and letting the hot water stream over his face for a good while.

Fooling himself into thinking he was feeling better he soon headed over to the briefing room that adjoined his office. Because it was still early he had it all to himself for the good part of an hour in which he gathered his thoughts on the mission and uploaded the necessary information to the colony's computerized record systems.

Jim Shannon, Major Croft and the Sergeants' Baker and Reilly arrived when he'd just finished the rather tedious task and together they waited for the rest to show up. When there was barely room left Malcolm and Hera came in last, closing the door quietly behind them and both looking rather pale and tired.

Refraining from the impulse to steal outside again with the latter and tell her what had been on his mind the entire night, Nathaniel forced himself to address those gathered in front of him with a steady, focused voice. He assured them that even though he considered building an outpost in the Badlands near the ruins one day because of its historical value and the vicinity to the where the fracture had last appeared, there was no way they had the resources at the moment to pull that off. The moment he had mentioned the rift that had very likely transported Mira and her followers back to 2149 a wave of anticipation, weary in some cases and hopeful in others, rippled through the room.

Not feeling too happy about being the bearer of ill news Nathaniel felt compelled to point out that even though right now the fragile link between their two worlds still appeared to be there, there was absolutely no knowing if it was stable enough to work and keep reappearing. Trying not to be too touched by the saddened looks around him he went on unwaveringly convincing them that, for now at least, they still had to consider themselves cut off. The fact that Mira took a gamble going through the fracture in the Badlands didn't mean he was willing to take the same insane risk.

Seeing his bleak message instantly dampened everyone's spirit Nathaniel was excessively glad when he could give the floor to Doctor Wallace. The scientist scurried to the front of the room and, though grimacing a little now and then for reasons best known to himself, was soon droning on about the various historical artefacts they'd discovered. It took him the better part of an hour to outline how, based on the information contained in the now lost records, those first colonists must have lived only to reveal at the end of his lengthy explanation how each of them unfortunately perished in the end.

Feeling he needed to step in and end on a happier note, Nathaniel once again ensured all of them that although the portal in the Badlands was highly instable and it was by no means certain it would appear again, it definitely wasn't impossible either. No matter how infinitesimally small, the chance of one day reestablishing contact with Earth from their own dimension was more than enough to offer those gathered before him hope and lighten everyone's mood again. If he hadn't chanced a look at Hera, gazing through the window absorbed in thought and seemingly unaware of anything that had been said, it might even have lifted his own.

After Sergeant Reilly had delivered her report, mainly mentioning their captivity in the hands of the Sixers but wisely leaving out those they'd brought back with them yesterday, it was Sergeant Baker's turn to bring those who'd been away on the Badland mission up to speed concerning colony safety and the progress they'd made on repairs. Nathaniel made a mental note to arrange a private meeting with Baker, something the man had let slip about a misunderstanding between his squad and that of Major Croft's had piqued his interest and he was adamant to find out more about it. Then, reaffirming this week's schedule and making sure everyone had their orders, he soon decided to call it a day.

Accompanied by the usual scraping sounds of chairs being pushed back and people starting to talk on their way out Nathaniel switched off the holoscreen behind him. When he turned around again the room was almost empty except for himself and Doctor Wallace, who was busy gathering his things. Intending not to let another chance to talk to her slip by he was halfway to the door leading back to his office when Malcolm behind him let out a strained yelp as he dropped his plexpad. Heaving a frustrated sigh Nathaniel quickly picked it up from the floor and replaced it on top of the crate of artefacts that the Doctor was carrying.

"Um.. Could you..?" Malcolm began, a pleading and exhausted look in his eyes. Glancing over his shoulder it was obvious there was no longer anyone else around who he could order to help out instead. Without saying a word he impatiently took the heavy crate and preceded his CSO into his office. Careful not to bump into anybody Nathaniel descended the stairs and hastened towards the science division building, ready to drop the load in his arms the moment he'd gotten inside.

"Oh, um, Commander! Please, wait!" Malcolm called after him when five minutes later he'd started to head back and see if he could find her anywhere, though he feared she'd already used this time to hide away from him again. Not holding back on intensity he threw Malcolm a particularly aggravated look.

"There's something I need to show you." The scientist stammered, waving a hand in the direction of his office by way of explanation.

"Can't it wait, Doctor?" Nathaniel asked him in a tone of annoyance. Malcolm shifted his weight, stammering something incoherent then simply shook his head. "Actually, I don't think it can, Commander."

He let out another frustrated sigh, rubbing his forehead for a moment to keep his calm. "Fine.." He finally replied, his voice close to a growl, "What is it, Malcolm?" Doubtful that he'd find the matter as pressing as his CSO he followed him to his office, an impressive frown creasing his brows and really hoping he'd get to talk to her later or otherwise risk exploding from repressed impatience.

* * *

From the moment she'd woken up that morning, it'd seemed as if hammers were relentlessly banging against the inside of her skull. The fact that she'd slept through the night without waking up once or even reliving some painful memories, her confession two days ago not least of all, was definitely worth the discomfort, though. In fact she was strangely grateful for the unforgiving headache, as it made tuning out the meeting that much easier. Hera didn't move from her spot in the back of the briefing room, making sure not to look at Commander Taylor directly either, though there'd been some pretty close calls. After one of these she cast a longing look outside instead, hoping to catch some of the fresh air drifting inside.

What seemed like five seconds later, though in reality it could've been an hour, the debriefing was over. She hastily got to her feet, rushing out of the room before anyone could stop her.

Sticking to her idea of visiting Wash's grave now she had the time, _and_ opportunity, as that tiny voice reminded her she wouldn't have at Outpost Three, Hera purposefully headed over to the barracks. Once she'd gotten her squad together in front of it she soon voiced the plan that had nestled itself in her aching head, "Seeing we got the rest of the day off, how about going out to Memorial Field? Sergeant Reilly said she could give us a lift as she's headed in that direction anyway, doing some minor repair work on those perimeter mines in that area. I figured we could hike back seeing it's only two clicks or so.." She didn't have to wait long for a response from the others. Evans was instantly ready to leave and Miller and Hernandez nodded in silent affirmation now their thoughts had no doubt been instantly turned to their lost CO.

"Amy?" Hera asked the young woman next to her when, unlike her usual active self, she'd frozen for a moment, distractedly running a hand through her brown curls.

"Maybe.." She began rather hesitantly, as the others all looked at her. "Maybe we should ask the Commander to join us.." She carefully suggested and shrugged. "After all, she was his second for a long time.." Scott went on to reason almost apologetically when no one answered her immediately.

Hera thought she could decipher the look she threw her and felt her cheeks reddening, praying inwardly that if Amy suspected anything she wouldn't tell the others. Then again, Hera wondered while she chewed on her lower lip, maybe she was being way too paranoia and Scott had simply proposed it out of loyalty towards the Commander. She did have a point about Wash being his second much longer than her being their squad leader.

Pushing that logic aside Hera cleared her throat now all of them seemed to look to her to decide, "I'm sure he must be busy right now.. Maybe some other time.." Before anyone could argue differently or change her mind Hera turned away from them and led the way back to the square.

More clouds gathering overhead, Sergeant Reilly dropped them off at Memorial Fields not thirty minutes later. Hoping the rain would hold out just a little longer Hera and the others entered the vast and grassy field, growing more silent every step they took closer to that one grave among the many others. Crouching down in front of the sober headstone buried in the sand and carrying her name, it comforted Hera to realize she could control her tears. Instead of reminding the day she died, memories of the time they'd spent together flitted in and out of her mind.

"Remember that Carnotaurus on your first mission OTG?" Evans suddenly asked her, taking a step closer to the grave as he did. Apparently he too had been thinking back on happier days, though she wasn't quite sure whether that particular memory qualified as such.

"Try not to, actually." Hera admitted, evoking a careful and contained laugh from Miller as almost identical grins appeared on Scott and Hernandez's faces.

"Took even Wash by surprise.." Evans continued, smiling as he strolled further down that specific memory lane, "Still can't believe you two managed to bring it down. Well, we all knew the Sergeant's aim was good. But yours..? First day in the field too. That was one lucky shot, I guess.."

"Nothing lucky about it." Hera protested with feigned hurt pride, adding softly as she returned his smile, "Except for the fact that Wash told me exactly where to hit it of course. From that day on I blindly trusted everything she said to me." She reached out and stroked the engraved letters in the gray stone, momentarily treasuring that precious thought.

Not wanting her squad to sink down into that well of sorrowful grief now they were growing quieter again, she abruptly got to her feet again. "But, hey, you're making it sound like I'm still the new kid in town. May I remind you that was only your _second_ mission OTG for all four of you?" She retaliated in kind, wearing an expression of mock remonstrance as she pretended to scold Evans. He instinctively raised his hands in surrender though his grin didn't support the guilty gesture.

"Busted.." Scott remarked, patting Evans supportively on the back while Hernandez and Miller both exchanged a meaningful look with Hera who, despite the immeasurable distance between Wash and them, realized they would continue to grow even closer, thanks to her early guidance. And, if she had anything to say about it, nothing would ever change that.

As the others turned to go now the clouds were really starting to accumulate and grow darker, Hera lingered for a moment longer. Watching the four of them walk away, she hoped that no matter how miserable she might feel herself, she would always succeed in taking care of them. Just like Lieutenant Washington had done.

Almost feeling her presence, as if her memory was standing behind her, resting a hand on her shoulder in unwavering support, she cast a last look at the grave and inclined her head in way of a salute. Though she might be starting to say goodbye, Hera knew there was no way she would ever forget. _If only she didn't have to leave the colony_ …

Thanks for Reading & Let me know what you think! :=)


	31. Chapter 31

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Terra Nova or any of its characters, this is solely a non-profit fan activity.

 **CHAPTER 31**

 **Sunrise**

 **GRANTED** , the fact that Malcolm had somehow managed to get his hands on that century old notebook on the fracture was definitely something he wanted to know about, but he felt he really could've done without the lengthy explanations and unrestrained admiration. Besotted as Malcolm seemed to be with the dusty and moldy book, it had been more like he was practically performing a serenade for it at times, inadvertently causing his own thoughts to wander as if it was almost inappropriate to still be in the same room. Not that Doctor Wallace required him to turn his soliloquy into a proper dialogue, he rattled on making it virtually impossible to get in a word edgewise.

"You do know you didn't write all of this yourself, right?" Nathaniel felt compelled to point out when he'd finally managed to include himself into the one-sided conversation. Looking somewhere between insulted and embarrassed Malcolm paused, cocking his head to one side as he tried to think of how to respond to the undisguised accusation.

"Of course.. But, Commander, we both know I'm the most suitable person in the whole of Terra Nova to study this data. Right?" He squinted his eyes, raising one brow and compressing his lips in sudden uncertainty.

"Not saying you weren't, Doctor.." Nathaniel told him slightly exasperated, making up his mind that he'd had enough of this weird blend of a history lesson and monotonous technobabble for one day as he saw Malcolm readying himself to plunge on. "All right. Consider it your personal little pet project." He told his CSO and waved a hand at the log book on his desk, adding in a stern tone, "I want regular updates. And keep this to yourself for now."

Malcolm instantly nodded, an excited light in his eyes, "Of course. Will do." He promised then Nathaniel left him to no doubt spent some more hours drooling over the dusty logbook.

* * *

The clouds overhead had considerably grown darker, threatening to spill rain any moment now. He returned to his office but didn't enter it when he saw Skye waiting for him at the top of the stairs, sitting on his favorite spot out on the balcony. He sat down on the wobbly stool opposite her, grinning as he noticed the chess board set out in between them.

"I took the liberty of getting your chess set from your office." Skye explained needlessly, adding a bit more insecurely when, eyes staring blankly at the wooden pieces, his grin slowly faded away again. "Hope you don't mind.."

Realizing she must have interpreted his silence as the forerunner of a reprimand he shook his head in an attempt to shake off the memory that had entered it unbidden at seeing his chess set.

"No.. No, of course not." He reassured her and started to rearrange his pieces, forcing his thoughts to stay in the here and now, not wander back to those underground tunnels where he'd last played the game.

Apparently something in the way he didn't seem to make any progress, switching around his knights and queen as if he'd never even played chess, must have betrayed his lack of focus for Skye soon abandoned her pieces too and looked up at him instead.

"Not in the mood?" She inquired, a disarming smile curving her lips. Giving up on his efforts to pretend that he was Nathaniel sighed, "Sorry.." He admitted honestly.

"That's all right. We can do it some other time." Skye offered, adding playfully, "Besides, you could probably use the extra time to practice."

"Careful, young lady." He warned her jestingly, fully intending to make room in his busy schedule to have that match with her sometime soon.

After she'd left him with a friendly twinkle in her eyes he remained a moment longer where he was, strangely unwilling to clear away the pieces even though he wasn't sure why. He picked up a random piece and held it in front of him, simply tracing the carvings in the wood as he arranged his thoughts. Growing restless again he finally returned all the pieces to the small and worn wooden box; his favorite heirloom. Just in time. A large raindrop splattered on top of it, followed by more.

He took it inside where he placed it carefully on his desk. Not in the mood to sit down behind it he walked out again the next moment. Zipping up his jacket against the rain, not minding but rather welcoming the refreshing feeling it gave him, he crossed the square as he headed for the barracks.

Taking a detour dusk had already started to set in when he arrived. After a short hesitation he shoved his scruples aside and approached the building on his left. Although he technically wasn't allowed in seeing it was the women's barracks, he entered it nonetheless. In a way it was fortunate Wash wasn't around to tell him off about it, for she certainly would've done, Nathaniel thought to himself, briefly amused by imagining his former Second barricading the door to him with that stern look of hers. Then again, maybe he wouldn't get far anyway as he had absolutely no idea of the layout of the building. The only thing he knew was that it was different in its design from the men's.

"Sir..?" A slightly hesitant and above all surprised voice behind him asked. Nathaniel whisked around, suddenly self-conscious of the culpable crime he'd just committed by entering as Sergeant Reilly appeared around a corner, wearing an expression of unconcealed incomprehension at finding him there.

"Sergeant." He inclined his head towards her, keeping his face straight as he could. It seemed he was running into everyone except the one person he was looking for today. _Why did she have to keep running away from him anyway_? He thought inwardly, impatience steadily building up again.

"Can I help?" Reilly informed, raising an eyebrow at the same time which prompted him to answer quickly, "No- Well," About to dismiss her, he changed his mind halfway, "Actually. Maybe you can." He ran a hand through his hair not looking directly at his Sergeant when he consequently enquired, "I was uh.. I was looking for Sergeant Hallows, as a matter of fact."

"She's not here." She informed him almost immediately, waving a hand to indicate a door further along the hallway where he supposed Hera's room must be.

"I see.." He mumbled in her direction, trying not to feel too disappointed. "Any idea where I might find her?" He went on, unwilling to give up.

"She went to Memorial Field with her squad earlier, but seeing the others already got back, I guess she must've too." The curly haired woman in front of him guessed with a shrug, then added helpfully, "You could check out that outbuilding for storing harvest in the farmlands. I know she goes there sometimes."

"Right.. Maybe I will.." He thanked her and set off for the farmlands with long purposeful strides. It was still raining but Nathaniel barely noticed it, absorbed in thought as he was. _He'd lost too many things in his life, he was going to make damn sure that he wasn't going to lose her now_.

Not minding his increasingly muddier shoes and the puddles scattered across the sandy path he walked briskly on, passing the half-finished and latest housing section for those who'd come on the Eleventh Pilgrimage and soon coming out into the fields beyond. Further ahead he could spot the outbuilding Reilly had mentioned. Heart pace increasing he made a beeline for it.

Getting out of the rain at last he stepped onto the roofed veranda, standing still for a moment as he took in the rattling and steady beating sound of it on the world around him. There, at the edge of the wooden gallery, sitting against one of the columns, was Hera.

An immeasurable relief at having found her at last spread through him as he approached her. "There you are.."

Instantly flustered she got to her feet and wrapped her arms protectively around her waist.

"I've been looking all over for you.." He told her truthfully, trying to catch her eye without success yet.

Staring at her feet instead she sounded guilty as she stammered a hasty apology. "Sorry.. I've been out here for a while to.. I don't know, listen to the rain I guess.." She finished after a short hesitation, adding in a soft voice more to herself, "If that makes sense.."

"I think it does. In a way.." He assured her, the restlessness he'd felt for the past couple of days finally dissolving as he took in every inch of her face, pale but smooth. He walked over, leaning with one shoulder against the column next to her. He half expected her to stir and increase the distance between them again, but she didn't.

"Reilly told me you went to Memorial Field earlier. Did you go to Wash's grave?" Eyes cast down she nodded, fiddling with the tassels on her shirt with those slender fingers of hers as a cool breeze tugged at her blond, gossamer hair.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there with you. Will be next time. I promise." He told her kindly, instinctively tempted to take her hands into his own.

"I-" Hera began, swallowing down a lump in her throat before moving on, "I wanted to let her know we all made it back home. Felt important somehow. Especially now.. Now I don't know when I'll get a chance to go there again."

"You make it sound as if you're leaving.." He remarked in a hurt voice, his heart unpleasantly skipping a beat.

"Yes, sir. I think I have to.." She admitted sorrowfully.

"Outpost Three.." He repeated the request she made of him. After a brief silence Hera inclined her head in reluctant affirmation. "What if I don't want you to go..?" Nathaniel protested earnestly, straightening himself to stand before her.

"I don't think you'd be that cruel.. Sir." She said quietly, sounding tormented by his remark.

"Sorry.." He instantly regretted what she must have interpreted as insentient teasing. Seeing the sad look in her eyes, Nathaniel briefly rubbed his forehead. "That's- That's not what I meant."

Fixing his gaze on her again, she at last directed her eyes to his. "I don't intend to stop you from leaving to be cruel. I want you to stay because I've come to care about you, more than I thought I ever would about someone.. I'm sorry I didn't realize it sooner."

"I-I.. I don't understand.." She stammered, her voice trailing off into silence as she eyed him with confused incredulity. She blinked in an effort to hold back tears, hands clutching at the folds in his jacket for support now he took another step closer. Startled for instinctively reaching out to him her cheeks turned a fiery red. Hera hesitantly tried to retreat but he wouldn't let her, gently placing his own hands over hers to stop her from pulling them back. She trembled a little at his touch but gave up the attempt to increase the distance between them. He could tell by the soft intake of her breath and the brief fluttering of her eyelashes she felt the same strong pull.

Forcing his mind to focus on what he needed to say now his heart was bent on finally getting its way while beating steadily louder against his ribs, Nathaniel looked at her imploringly, wanting her to believe him as he could finally utter the words that had been on his lips for a long while now. "To me, you're the most precious thing in Terra Nova, Hera.."

He couldn't help for a grin to quirk his mouth now she looked at him, eyes wide and shifting from side to side, sparking like wildfire. Apparently too stunned to say anything she simply grasped his jacket tighter, pulling him towards her even more.

"I really don't want to send you away from the colony. It'd break my heart to see you go. Hera.. Please stay. With me.." Nathaniel pleaded, no longer keeping his desire form seeping into his voice as he looked deep into her gray eyes. For a moment lost in their depth he held his breath in tense anticipation.

Then, exultant happiness spread through him when she slowly nodded, a careful smile curving her mouth. That grin he couldn't hold back tugged at the corners of his mouth again and he let out a soft, low rumbling laugh as he allowed himself to relish being this close to her. Cradling her face in his hands he leaned forward now he could finally kiss those lips..

* * *

Still looking extremely sleepy it was a good thing Hera was holding Zoe by the hand, navigating her through the maze of market stands that were little more than darks shapes in these early hours of the morning. Together they started to slowly climb the stairs to the observatory tower once they'd reached them. Seeing there were roughly two hundred steps to go, it took them some time to get to the top. Zoe yawned every minute or so, faltering here and there too so Hera had to support her from behind, lending her the strength to make it. When they finally walked out onto the circular platform their aching limbs were soon forgotten because of the breathtaking view that met them.

Looking out over the colony, its homes and fields, snuggly hidden away in a vast jungle that stretched as far as the eye could see, Hera was glad she'd promised the Shannon family's youngest daughter to watch the sunrise together. From this place Terra Nova in its entirety seemed to be at their very fingertips. The sky grew steadily lighter and she quickly turned Zoe in the right direction, both facing east as they leaned on the railing. It was still rather chilly and, as they waited, Zoe shivered a little standing next to her in eager anticipation.

Hera crouched down, rubbing her shoulders for some warmth then quickly pointed to the horizon when the first light spilled over the ragged mountain rage looming over one side of the colony. Zoe gasped and clasped her hands in front of her mouth as the sky turned orange because of the bright but still tenderly soft sunrays which crept over the valley, warming them with its touch. Like the little girl in front of her, Hera simply couldn't stop grinning broadly at the spectacular sight, enhancing her feeling that it was the beginning of a new day indeed.

When soon after the colony was basking in daylight Zoe turned around, bending forward to whisper in her ear, "I'm glad you're back." Hera smiled at her in affection, "You know what.. _Me too_." She whispered back, feeling the pleasant warmth of the sun on her face and relishing in the lightness of her own heart. Together they took in the beauty of the waking world around them until Zoe suddenly started jumping up and down. Pointing down excitedly she nudge Hera repeatedly, saying, "It's dad! There! On the square! And Commander Taylor too!"

Having eyes for the latter only, Hera smiled to herself as she watched him busy talking to Jim Shannon. Behind them she could make out Dunham who seemed to have gotten up early too, in his case to polish up the rovers parked in front of the gates, though that was usually a wasted effort as the wilderness always succeeded in providing them with all kinds of natural camouflage.

Taking Zoe by the hand Hera led the way down the stairs, getting down the steps went considerably faster. And not just because Zoe wanted to greet her dad, she thought but wisely kept that thought to herself as they walked over to the two men they'd spotted from above.

"Well… What was it like?" Shannon immediately inquired of his daughter, eyes wide in high expectation. Zoe burst out laughing in sheer joy, soon chattering away to her father about the things she'd seen from the observatory tower.

Conscious of Jim's presence Hera stood back a little, though she couldn't refrain from beaming at Commander Taylor next to him. "Commander." She greeted him dutifully, unable to make her voice sound less jubilant. He returned it with a warm smile, sparking playful lights in his brilliant eyes.

"Sergeant." He motioned for her to walk with him.

Saying goodbye to Zoe, still talking enthusiastically with her dad, Hera followed suit as the Commander headed for the rovers on the other side of the square. Matching his leisurely pace, they made rather slow progress, something for which Hera felt particularly grateful.

She was bound OTG this morning, a hungry, or maybe simply bored, Ovosaurus herd had been chewing on the power cables of outpost nine, _again_ , and she was going to fix the damage and secure the facility. Already wearing her uniform and having brought all the necessary equipment into the rover before picking up Zoe this morning, she only needed to wait for her squad to turn up.

Stealing a sideways glance at him, blushing instinctively when their eyes met, Hera could almost feel his lips on hers again. Only reddening more at this she quickly threw a nervous look around them, a jolt going through her when she spotted Evans and the others walking over.

"Be safe." Commander Taylor told her when she'd turned to face him again. She simply looked at him for a moment, taking in his face and that irresistible grin. She nodded, slowly walking away from him as she got into the rover last. Deaf to the conversation going on between the others, she watched him grow smaller as they passed the gates and headed for the jungle alive with low rumbling dinosaur cries.

Although her world might have tipped out of balance, Hera knew now it had righted itself again. Just like she knew she would always come back home to the colony. _Come back home to him_..

* * *

The End

And…

To Be Continued! ;)

Thanks for Reading&Reviewing!


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